This is the fourth in a number of memoranda that TNPA intends to sign with ports in Southern and Eastern Africa as ports authorities takes the lead in maritime regional integration.

To date MoU’s have been signed with the Maputo Port Development Company, Namibian Port Authority and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. Later this year MoU’s will be signed with the ports of Angola, Tanzania and Sudan.

Tau Morwe, Chief Executive Transnet National Ports Authority, said: “There are a number of obstacles hindering the progress of African ports. These include the lack of deep water berths, poor equipment and lack of maintenance and infrastructure; limited or no training, limited capital to develop and port infrastructure that is lacking.”

This MoU, along with the others signed previously, is a step towards co-operation and port regional integration that will see ports authorities work towards solving many of these problems.

Alluding to the first MoU signed with the Maputo Port Development Company Morwe said: “We are working closely with our Maputo colleagues to share the learnings and to resolve some of the issues”.

Justus Nyarandi KPA GM Corporate Services, representing the KPA Managing Director Gichiri Ndua, said the MoU was the formalization of a long standing relationship between themselves and TNPA. The MoU ensures that the beneficial relationship is sealed for the benefit of KPA now and into the future.

“We will enhance our efficiency by sending junior employees to South Africa to see the benchmarks that have been set and borrow similar practices for the Port of Mombasa.

“In addition KPA, which is both the landlord and operator, will look to TNPA for support with its going out to tender, for the first time, for a private terminal operator for the 550 000 TEU first phase of a new container terminal that is under construction,” said Nyarandi. 2

The Kenyan Port Authority believes that these port level agreements will also serve to form foundation blocks that will strengthen the regional ports authorities.

Tau Morwe Chief Executive Transnet National Ports Authority (left) and Justus Nyarandi GM Corporate Services Kenyan Port Authority (on behalf of the KPA MD Gichiri Ndua) sign a Memorandum of Understanding that formalizes the relationship between the ports and furthers maritime regional integration. Witnessing the signing are (back left) Phyllis Difeto TNPA Chief Operating Officer and Addraya Dena KPA Head of Contracts and Financing. 3

Tau Morwe Chief Executive Transnet National Ports Authority receives a Kenyan Port Authority shield from Justus Nyarandi General Manager Kenyan Port Authority as token of a long term relationship sealed.

During his visit to the port, Mr Hayes visited the UK flagged Ever Lambent, the container vessel owned and operated by Evergreen Marine Corporation.

Whilst at the port, John Hayes said:

“Felixstowe plays a crucial role, both as the gateway for goods coming into the UK and as the port where huge volumes of our exports leave these shores.

“Britain has long been a nautical powerhouse, with the maritime sector generating well over £8bn for the economy every year. Our ports have weathered the economic storm of recent years better than many parts of the economy and I fully appreciate the importance of Felixstowe in delivering long term growth.”

Evergreen’s Vice Group Chairman, Marcel Chang was delighted to welcome The Rt Hon John Hayes aboard the Ever Lambent, “Evergreen is proud that a number of its ships fly the UK flag. This vessel, the name of which means gleaming or glowing, is one and we hope the Minister sees it as a shining example of the high standards maintained by the British Merchant Marine. We thank him for his visit.”

Commenting on the visit, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, owner of the Port of Felixstowe, said:

“We welcome the visit of The Rt Hon John Hayes, Shipping and Transport Minister, to the Port of Felixstowe, the Port of Britain. It is an honour that the Minister has chosen Port of Felixstowe to board his first container vessel, which is owned and operated by our long term customer and partner, Evergreen. We are delighted to show the Minister our facilities, where more than 40% of UK container trade passes through our port, showing him how our workforce works seamlessly with our customers and other port users to ensure efficient movement of UK trade.”

Developments in the ocean can be high risk; fast moving deep water, powerful waves and the ever shifting seabed present significant technical challenges. These new facilities will be used by HR Wallingford to simulate the conditions in coastal and offshore waters, allowing them to to assess and improve the way structures perform in the complex marine environment before they are built for real.

The Fast Flow Facility is the most recent extension to HR Wallingford’s extensive physical modelling facilities. The 75 m long, 8 m wide dual-channel flume can hold a million litres of water, generate 1 m high waves and produce fast tidal currents to simulate the way waves, tides, sediments and structures interact.

Professor Richard Whitehouse, Technical Director of the Fast Flow Facility, said:

“What makes the Fast Flow Facility unique is the way we can simulate sediment movement, big waves and fast tidal currents at the same time. No one else can do this, certainly not at such a large scale.

“We can now look at the way waves and currents move sediment on the seabed in deep water at a large scale, and understand what this means for fixed or floating structures such as marine terminals, offshore wind turbines, wave and tidal energy devices, telecommunication and power cables and pipelines. Modelling large structures and arrays without compromising on scale will help us to reduce uncertainty, optimise designs and more effectively minimise project risks for our clients during the very early stages of a project.”

The UK Ship Simulation Centre houses the latest evolution of HR Wallingford’s advanced navigation simulation technology: four real-time ship simulators, including two dedicated tug simulators. Each simulator is a functioning ship or tug’s bridge surrounded by a 360-degree simulated environment. The four simulators can be run separately or together to allow different vessels in the same simulated environment to interact. They can also link with the six simulators located in HR Wallingford’s Fremantle Ship Simulation Centre in Australia.

Dr Mark McBride, Manager of HR Wallingford’s Ship Simulation Centres, said:

“Safe and reliable navigation is a fundamental requirement of marine development projects, especially with the growing challenge to access new and more demanding locations. We use the simulators to support the design of ports, harbours and marine terminals, to refine operations in the marine environment and to provide specialist pilot training.

“Our new simulator suite uses state of the art technology, and they combine HR Wallingford’s extensive hydraulic modelling capabilities with ship handling models. What adds real value for our clients is the support of our expert team of experienced maritime engineers, master mariners, pilots, tug masters, naval architects and software modelling experts, all underpinned by HR Wallingford’s broader maritime and coastal engineering capabilities.”

Dr Jane Smallman, HR Wallingford’s Managing Director, said:

“I’d like to thank Lord Heseltine for joining us today to open the UK Ship Simulation Centre and the Fast Flow Facility. These new world class facilities are part of a £3 million development by HR Wallingford to extend our internationally recognised expertise in maritime and coastal engineering. It’s the vision and foresight of our staff that drives these technical developments forward, allowing us to give our clients advice and solutions informed by leading edge science and technology.”

Nick West joined the Board in September. He is the former CEO of Euroports and is currently a non-executive director at the Deep-sea Container Terminal at Port of Gdansk (DCT Gdansk S.A), Poland’s largest container terminal and Verbrugge International, a port operator based in The Netherlands.

Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer, said: “Nick West brings nearly three decades of international experience at management and board level in the sector that will be invaluable to the business.

“I am sure he will bring a fresh perspective to the Board as we continue to make progress on our development and growth plans.”

With more than 20 years’ experience in the ports and logistic sector, Nick West led the development of Euroports from a wide spectrum of cargo operations into holding market-leading positions in handling forest products, specialty dry bulks, and heavy dry bulk sectors.

He said: “I am delighted to join the Port of Tyne. The track record of the Port in growing the business and supporting the regional economy of the North East has been exceptional, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to lend my experience to its continued success.”