The SA Navy (SAN) will on Saturday 21 June, along with the international hydrographic community, mark World Hydrography Day in East London with two of its new patrol vessels, and a frigate.
This weekend, the SA National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) maritime arm of service, in partnership with the Buffalo City Metro Municipality and Transnet National Ports Authority, will recognise the role of hydrography in safe navigation, maritime security and environmental protection.
SAS Protea (A324), the over 50-year old specialist hydrographic platform, will not be in the Eastern Cape harbour city for the event. Her absence, without offering a reason, was confirmed to defenceWeb by Captain (SAN) Nkosinathi Goboza, Commander Task Group World Hydrography Day Celebration. Similarly, SAS Protea was docked at Naval Base (NB) Simon’s Town during the Hydrography Day event at Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred Waterfront last year.
Flying the SAN ensign for the two-day event will be three platforms. Two of the new SAN acquisitions – its multi-mission inshore patrol vessels (MMIPVs) – now complete as a three-strong patrol squadron with Durban as its home port along with the Valour Class frigate SAS Amatola (F145) are in East London harbour. The new SAN Warrior Class is represented by SAS King Shaka Zulu (P1572) and SAS King Adam Kok III (P1573).
As far as SAN hydrographic operations are concerned Amatola’s flight deck carries one of the new survey boats that are part of the overall Project Hotel to fly the flag for the SAN Hydrographic Office (SANHO).
The major component of the event will be a right of entry parade in East London by the SA Navy. A hydrography lecture, panel discussion and book launch are also listed as part of advancing hydrographic research and fostering awareness of South Africa’s maritime landscape.
The book launch will present a publication resulting from the fifth Sea Power for Africa Symposium (SPAS) in Cape Town last year hosted by SAN Chief Vice Admiral Monde Lobese. The symposium saw leaders and experts from across the continent discuss challenges and opportunities in the maritime domain. The book is a compendium of the symposium’s deliberations, featuring 15 papers and an analysis of the global maritime landscape, emphasising the roles nations must play to maintain order at sea.
SAS Nelson Mandela (A187), the SAS Protea replacement platform, is currently under fabrication at Sandock Austral Shipyards (SAS) as per Project Hotel. It was originally set for handover to the SAN in September 2022 and then revised to January last year.
According to an Armscor presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on 13 June, Project Hotel is behind schedule but Sandock Austral Shipyards has submitted a Project Execution Plan to Armscor for approval. However, Armscor warned that there may not be enough contracted funding to complete the project, and additional cashflow requirements are being investigated. Part of the delay stems from issues with subcontractors, which Armscor is engaging with them to “resolve the financial impasse and get them back on the project.” Other delays have been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, civil unrest in 2021, and flooding in 2022.
“A new delivery date will be determined once the recovery plan and subsequent amendment of the contract has been tabled for consideration and approved by the board,” Armscor stated.
Despite the Navy’s limited survey capability, delivery of hydrographic products and services has not stopped. Last year, Rear Admiral Musawenkosi Nkomonde, SAN Flag Officer Fleet (FOF), told defenceWeb “it is true that there is a delay in the delivery of the hydrographic survey vessel. However, the function hasn’t stopped. Through the use of the Survey Motor Boats that have been delivered and the upgrade in the Hydrographic Office, the capability is being continued. We are also partnering with other states … so that we to close the gap where we will be lacking until delivery [of the new HSV].”
The three SAN vessels along with exhibitions will be open to the public on Saturday 21 June (09:00-16:00) and Sunday 22 June (09:00 -14:00) at the Port of East London (S&T Berth). Park and ride facilities will be provided from Esplanade Road.
The SAN Band will perform at the Guild Theatre on Sunday 22 June, from 14:00 to 16:00.
