The naming ceremony was performed by TNPA’s Supply Chain General Manager, Ncumisa Nkanunu.
The contract for the design, construction and delivery of the grab hopper dredger was signed between TNPA and IHC Global Production, part of IHC Merwede, on 29 January 2013. The keel was laid on 20 August 2013 and the vessel will sail under her own keel to Durban, South Africa later this month.
The Italeni has been designed and built to achieve low maintenance costs. The vessel will replace the current grab hopper dredger, CRANE, which was recently equipped with a new grab crane. This new equipment will be transferred to the Italeni after her arrival in South Africa. The Italeni will be used mainly for maintenance work in various ports throughout the country.
The dredger was named after the battle of Italeni, which took place near the Ithala Mountains where the Zulu King Dingane defeated the Voortrekkers in 1838.
Tau Morwe, Chief Executive Transnet National Ports Authority, said: “Compliant with our strategic objectives, the new dredger will ensure that we have capacity ahead of demand, and provide spare dredging capacity for neighbouring ports. This collaboration is in line with TNPA’s Africa Strategy. “
Fer Tummers, Managing Director of IHC Merwede’s Dredging Division, said: “The Italeni is not the first vessel that IHC Merwede has built for TNPA. IHC Merwede has already proven itself to be a reliable and professional partner with the successful delivery of the trailing suction hopper dredger Isandlwana in 2010. 2
“We are also proud to be building a third vessel for TNPA, a 5,500m3 TSHD. This will be the largest vessel of its kind to operate in South Africa and a sign of our continuing successful cooperation.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to the TNPA, IHC Merwede is glad to be participating in economic developments in South Africa, by implementing a Supplier Development Plan to help improve local industry. This initiative will include the transfer of some of our knowledge and advanced technology to enhance the skills of the workforce within the region.”
Additional information
Name ITALENI
Type Grab hopper dredger
Customer Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA)
Builder IHC Global Production BV/IHC Holland BV
Length overall 62m
Breadth 15m
Photo: Nikolay Ivanov, project manager of the MTG Dolphin shipyard, Bulgaria congratulates Ncumisa Nkanunu, TNPA Supply Chain General Manager after she christened the Authorities new grab hopper dredger Italeni, yesterday (18 June 2014)