A South African black-owned shipbuilding company has taken big steps in the transformation of the maritime sector by forging ahead on a multi-billion rand build programme for a new hydrographic survey vessel for the country’s navy.
On Friday, Southern African Shipyards (SAS) went one step further in building what has been described as “the most complex and technically advanced vessel that has ever been built in the country” by holding a steel cutting ceremony at its Bayhead premises in the Port of Durban.
Overseeing the cutting was the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who called the moment “a milestone”.
SAS has completed the vessel design and tank-testing phase of the project, meaning they are now ready to start with the actual construction of the ship.
The project is expected to employ about 500 people and the building of the ship will take about 40 months to complete.
- African News Agency (ANA);
