Page 27 - Logistics News August 2016

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Africa’s first dredging simulator unveiled
AFRICA’S FIRST dredging simulator has been
launched in Durban – another positive spin-off of
ongoing collaboration between Transnet National
Ports Authority (TNPA), the Transnet Maritime
School of Excellence (MSoE), Netherlands based
Royal IHC, and its world-renowned Training
Institute.
The high-tech simulator – based at MSoE’s
Langeberg Road premises – will aid in building
dredging capability in South Africa. Dredging is
specialised underwater excavation that helps to
keep ports and harbours safe and navigable and is
a critical aspect of port development.
The simulator mimics the control panel
of an actual dredging vessel, complete with
environmental simulation of weather conditions,
sea states and soil types. This provides realistic
training situations while eliminating the risk of
accidents, production losses, damage and injuries
that could occur while training in real life. Transnet
anticipates that over the first three-years 50
students will complete training on the simulator as
part of an holistic dredging training programme
and could find work in Southern Africa or with
international dredging contractors.
TNPA chief executive, Richard Vallihu, said
“Through this acquisition we can create jobs in
line with the Government’s Nine-Point Growth
Plan. Key focus areas of TNPA’s R56-bn-plus
investments under the Transnet Market Demand
Emirates scoops World’s Best Airline award
IN ADDITION to scooping the awards for
World’s Best Inflight Entertainment for the 12th
year in a row and Best Airline in the Middle
East, Emirates has been recognised as the
World’s Best Airline 2016 at the Skytrax World
Airline Awards 2016. Based on the results of the
largest airline passenger satisfaction survey in
the industry, the World’s Best Airline Awards
are considered a global benchmark of airline
excellence. This year’s Skytrax awards were
based on a total of 19,2-mn completed surveys
covering 280 airlines, by customers hailing
August 2016 | Logistics News
Simulation facilitators (from left) Ebrahim
Bayat, Thamsanqa Khanyile, Musa Ngubane
and Vika Njoko demonstrate the equipment’s
features at the Transnet Maritime School of
Excellence in Durban.
Strategy (MDS) are creating capacity ahead
of demand, maintenance upgrades, skills
development and job creation. We are therefore
striving to build our own capabilities by developing
mission critical skills that will help us to cater for
the needs of the Southern African port system.
Instead of sending staff overseas for dredging
training we can now do this locally through the
dredging school to be fully operational by 2017.” •
from more than 104 countries. The Skytrax
survey measures quality standards across
41 key performance indicators of front-line
products and services in the airline industry.
This is the fourth time Emirates has won the
top accolade since the airline awards were
introduced 15 years ago; the airline won the
first ever Skytrax World’s Best Airline in 2001,
again in 2002 and in 2013. In total, Emirates
has won a total of 20 Skytrax World Airline
Awards since 2001. Emirates is the world’s
largest international airline, with an extensive
network that has grown to offer its customers a
choice of 154 destinations in 81 countries across
six continents, with convenient connections
through its hub in Dubai. The airline operates
one of the world’s youngest modern wide-body
fleets. These aircraft are not only more efficient
to operate but are also more comfortable for
passengers to fly in – enabling Emirates to install
and offer the latest onboard products. •
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