Date: 7 July 2025
Location: Port of Cape Town, South Africa
Key Highlights
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Investment & Purpose: TNPA unveiled the R120 million multi-purpose vessel, built at Damen Shipyards Cape Town, to boost maintenance, pollution control, and debris removal within the port News24+14maritimafrica.com+14Engineering News+14.
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Capabilities: Functions include maintenance dredging, quay-wall repairs, lighthouse servicing, fender replacement, oil-spill response, and environmental management Engineering News+2Freight News+2maritimafrica.com+2.
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Name & Meaning: Christened as “Yarona” (meaning “Ours” in Setswana), named via an internal TNPA competition Freight News+2maritimafrica.com+2maritimafrica.com+2.
Specs & Tech
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Dimensions: 19.05 m length × 8.36 m beam.
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Build: All-welded steel hull and superstructure—designed for harsh harbor conditions, enabling swift response to navigational hazards.
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Construction Timeline: Started with keel laying in May 2024; included a Mandela Peace Prize coin tradition; delivered in early July 2025.
Strategic Impact
🔧 Operational Efficiency & Safety
“Yarona” is part of the TNPA Marine Fleet Renewal Programme under the Transnet Recovery Plan. It upgrades marine fleet capabilities, replacing aging vessels and improving port reliability.
Local Manufacturing & Job Growth
Built in Cape Town, the project:
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Demonstrates “vessels built in Africa for Africa” ethos.
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Boosted local employment and skills—18 jobs during build, plus additional crew once commissioned.
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Focuses on localised supplier development and training, with emphasis on previously disadvantaged and youth groups.
Infrastructure‑Led Growth
Transnet COO Solly Letsoalo emphasized the vessel’s role in modernising port infrastructure to support the broader South African economy.
