Sun May 19 14:32:15 SAST 2013

Great big boat visits Durban

Jul 5, 2012 | Sapa | 13 comments

The largest container ship yet to visit a South African port docked in Durban’s harbour this morning, after being welcomed by a flotilla of yachts and showered with sea spray by two tugs.

Comments

Sun May 19 14:32:15 SAST 2013 ::
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Jul 5, 2012

SeshegoGuY

Thank God also for the new Cranes, they'll be able to offload the Containers much quicker.

I just love this Industry---Maritime
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Jul 5, 2012

CharlesTaylor

I was sitting in one of the restaurants in Point Waterfront watching this Calton Centre building moving in the ocean. You could barely see a person inside it, much bigger that the Titanic I suppose.
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Jul 5, 2012

CharlesTaylor

Each container carrying 500 illegal Chinas and Indonesians.
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Jul 5, 2012

DjEp

@CharlesTaylor
Each container carrying 500 illegal Chinas and Indonesians.
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What? kwaaaaaakwa! shame the poor Chinesse inside the containers....
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Jul 5, 2012

golly459

@CharlesTaylor
Each container carrying 500 illegal Chinas and Indonesians.
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Jah neee? kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
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Jul 5, 2012

sabza007

I praise the Engineers or designers behind this massive ship.
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Jul 5, 2012

Nicholaster

beware of Somalis, I mean Somali Pirates because you'll be bugging us in the media looking for donations
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Jul 5, 2012

Pointman

Come on Sowetan - you should have got a real picture of the ship entering Durban harbour. Come full - leave empty. We need to improve our game.
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Jul 5, 2012

Bebesocs

What is inside? Somalian pirates.
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Jul 6, 2012

Magava

drugs, drugs , drugs
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Jul 6, 2012

MyPot

Thank God the most beautiful prostitutes from India and china are here to reduce population in KZN
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Jul 6, 2012

Pointman

@MyPot - when did god go into the se x business. Missed the IPO. And what about our local girls - are they going to apply for government to apply import quotas and tariffs?
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Jul 9, 2012

KHABZO

SOWETAN: Break out of the Silo Mentality, Asseblief! - Your Ref.: ARTICLE: "Great Big Boat Visits Durban"

a) SOWETAN, in your title why did you choose to use: "great" and "big" in the same (short) headline?

b) Why was such a newsworthy item relegated to the bottom of the pile INSTEAD of being given it the prominence it deserved?

Methinks SOWETAN Readers were short-changed by the inadequate write-up on a historical visit to our shores.

In your shamefully short article on the MSC Sola absolutely NO MENTION was made of the following points:-

1) SIZE OF THE SHIP: One of the largest container ships to date – to call at Africa’s busiest and largest port in Durban.

2) THE DEEPENING and WIDENING OF DURBAN'S PORT ENTRANCE: The Port of Durban is taking full advantage of the recent deepening and widening of the port entrance channel, as it attracts more vessels of this size and type into its harbour.

3) DURBAN, the EMERGING E. & W. Seaboard MARKETS: South Africa is ideally positioned as a leading trans-shipment point between the emerging markets of the Eastern and Western Seaboards. The confidence shipping lines such as the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has in our ability to operate in an environment that is effective, safe and efficient.

4) HISTORY MADE IN DURBAN BY BLACK WOMEN: Guided into port by Bongiwe Mbambo, one of the three women, who last year made history as Africa’s first black, female marine pilots to obtain the prestigious ‘open licence’.
This qualification enables Mbambo to navigate ships of any size and type into the port.

5) FOUR DURBAN TUGS USED TO ESCORT THE SHIP: What makes this event even more unique is that due to the enormity of the vessel, four tugs will be used – for the first time ever- to escort it into port.

6) GENDER and RACIAL EQUALITY: Great strides towards gender and racial equality and transformation
in the maritime environment, as we see more black females playing such crucial roles in this industry
Another key factor is that these tugs will also be navigated by Black female tug masters.

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