PORT ELIZABETH – One of the largest container ships in the world, the MSC Nicola Mastro, has made her maiden call at the Port of Ngqura, setting a new benchmark for vessel sizes handled at South Africa’s deepwater ports.
The 400-metre-long vessel was successfully guided into berth on Thursday, July 3rd, by Marine Pilot Olwethu Mtsewu-Sisilana, a former Transnet bursary student from Qanda village near eXesi in the Eastern Cape. The operation marks a significant personal milestone for Mtsewu-Sisilana, who has been part of the country’s maritime sector since 2008.
To safely manoeuvre the vessel, which also measures 61.5 metres in width, the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) deployed four tugboats — double the usual number — drawn from the ports of Port Elizabeth and Ngqura. These tugs, each with a bollard pull of between 60 and 70 tonnes, were critical in assisting with the berthing of the vessel, which exceeds the port’s previous docking length limit of 366 metres. 
The docking was handled by a coordinated team of maritime professionals, including Harbour Masters, Marine Engineers, Tug Masters, Shorehands, Vessel Traffic Controllers, and Berthing Masters. Their task was to move the ship from anchorage to a secure mooring alongside the quay.
