Lefkas

The port of Port Elizabeth is home to a new R200-million bunkering vessel that will ferry fuel and other supplies to passing ships – a further concrete step in the city’s efforts to tap into the oceans economy. The oil tanker MT Lefkas, the third vessel in the port registered on the South African Ships Register, previously operated under the Liberian flag but will now carry the South African ensign. Its South African registration effectively bolsters efforts to position the country as a shipping nation, in line with the government’s massive Operation Phakisa drive. The vessel docked yesterday morning and will serve as a sea-based fuelling station, servicing all ships passing through Algoa Bay. Owned by Greek shipping company Aegean, the new offshore bunkering operation has the potential to create up to 500 jobs, while pumping millions into the regional economy.