NIWA is a Cable Layer ship, registered in Abu Dhabi and constructed in 1989 arrives in Seychelles on 26 February 2021. The vessel has a carrying capacity of 7900 DWT, LOA of 145.66 meters and width of 21.6 meters.

Mahe Shipping Company has been appointed as agents for the vessel and as custom broker for the project to land a second fiber optic cable at Ile Perseverance. This cable will provide much needed security in connectivity for Seychelles.

The SEAS (Seychelles East Africa System) submarine cable system was the first optic fiber submarine cable system connecting the country. This is a point-to-point system connecting Seychelles (Beau Vallon) and Tanzania (Dar-Es-Salaam) with a length of almost 2,000km. It came into service in August  2012.  More than 90%  of the international telecommunications traffic of Seychelles is carried through the SEAS system, for which the only alternative is the use of satellites.

For more details see Today in Seychelles article of 4 March 2022 page 1 and page 2

Five cruise ships have been authorised to operate in Seychelles waters for the 2021/2022 season, including Le Bellot, which called at Mahe twice in November before proceeding to cruise in the inner islands.
For the current season, ships will operate only in Seychelles waters and will not proceed to make regional calls as was the case in the past. Passengers will arrive via flights to Seychelles, board the vessels for their cruise and return home by air

All cruiseships coming to Seychelles are required to submit to the authorities a checklist, Company and Ship Management, Covid-19 outbreak management plan detailing procedures and measures in place to handle cases, risk assessments, onboard testing capacity, social distancing, isolation facilities, rules for boarding and disembarking the ship among other measures.

Mrs Willemin explained that since the reopening of borders to flights, the country has recorded around 140,000 visitors, 39% more than during the same period in 2020. Arrivals are still almost 60% down from 2019.
Marketing and promotion of cruise ship is also beneficial in diversifying the products being offered to visitors and give the country competitive advantage.
The reopening will also reap economic benefits for border control agencies, most specifically the SPA, which pulled in around R9 million in revenue from port operations in good cruise ship seasons, not taking into account spillover in the domestic economy.
In going forward, it is essential that stakeholder authorities also collaborate towards a comprehensive cruise ship plan. Projects such as the port extension and waterfront development will be essential to the plan to increase daily spendin

Press Release from the Seychelles Ports Authority
Port Victoria has won another title as the Indian Ocean’s Leading Cruise Port. This was announced by the World Travel Awards last week.It is the ninth time that Port Victoria receives this prestigious accolade.
Retaining this title is testimony to the commitment, hard work and close collaboration and coordination of the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) with other esteemed stakeholders such as the Public Health Authority, immigration department, customs, destination management companies, tour guides, taxi operators, shipping agents, craft vendors, entertainers, the police as well as the understanding and cooperation of port and terminal operator.
Following the moratorium that was imposed on cruise ship calls, due to the Covid- 19 pandemic now lifted, Port Victoria is due to welcome the opening of the new cruise ship season for 2021 – 2022, as from November 18, 2021.
The SPA, in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders, under the guidance of the Public Health Authority, is finalising a port protocol to ideally handle all the scheduled cruise ship calls.
The SPA would like to thank each and every one who has contributed positively towards yet another successful achievement for Port Victoria.


Press Release from the Seychelles Ports Authority

Monday October 18, 2021 was a historic moment for Mahe Shipping Company as it relocates to new purpose-built premises on Veloutier Road at the New Port, Victoria. This is a major evolution for Mahe Shipping as the company strives to meet the challenges of the 21st century and maintain its lead as an innovative, efficient and dynamic shipping and logistics company.

Mahe Shipping celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, but the company has even deeper roots in Seychelles history stretching back more than a century. The majority of the first shares were held by a consortium of eleven shipping lines from six European countries that dominated shipping in the Indian Ocean for a century. The balance of shares was held by Noel Bentley-Buckle (known to his friends as ‘Box’ as he was born on Boxing Day) and later his son Tony, chairman and founder of Southern Line of East Africa.

For the full story see newspaper articles:
Seychelles Nation
Today in Seychelles

When a company specialised in transport and logistics moves office, you might expect it to proceed efficiently. It did.........with every member of staff playing a part.

Mahe Shipping and Air Seychelles Cargo have successfully handled their first joint transhipment cargo. This invloved an extremely cargo sea to air consignment delivered in a 40 foot container to Air Seychelles Cargo in a 40ft container, with more than four tons of fabric transported by sea to Seychelles originating from Madagascar. The cargo was destined for onward shipment by air to Texas, USA via Doha.

Juliette Pascal, Head of Cargo Operations at Air Seychelles commented,  “For this new facilitation, we are indeed amazed by the collective efforts of all stakeholders’ and staff members across the business for their assistance. This new movement of international transshipment has not only given impetus significance to Air Seychelles Cargo, but it has also shown the capabilities of the team in going the extra mile to meet the needs of customers.”

Andy Gobine, Head of Project Cargo and Sea Freight Export at Mahe Shipping who led the exercise, noted the success in how the cargo was handled and commented: “Mahe Shipping Company Limited always strives to deliver the best and most efficient service to its customers. Whilst there are other variables relevant for choice of transshipment, today's operation has shown that Seychelles as a destination can also be used as a gateway to facilitate cargo and container connections. The results of today’s operation will be replicated, noting the sensitivity of air cargo transshipment, to time rather than monetary costs, as we continue to deliver the best service to our clients."

The full joint press release can be downloaded here.

Antony Derjacques, Seychelles Minister for Transport has confirmed that the project to rehabilitate and extend Port Victoria will commence in June 2022. At a press conference held on 27 May, he announced that the project had been given unanimous approval by the cabinet the previous day at a virtual meeting chaired by President Wavel Ramkalawan.

“When we finish with the more effective and modernised port whereby the ships will spend less time to unload their containers," said the minister "there will be less fees and charges which are going to be beneficial to the consumers. We want the cost of living to go down along with the creation of more economic development."

The project to create a total quay length of 600 metres and a seaward extension of 10 metres adding  significant berthing space, with adequate storage and modernised facilities. The project will be completed in three phases.

Phase 1 and 2 will take 2 to 2.5 years to be completed, phase 1 commencing by June 2022. Phase 1 will comprise the construction in the south of a quay wall of 300m with a dredging depth of 13.5m. Phase 2 will be implemented upon completion of phase 1 with the construction of another 300m of quay wall. Phases 1 and 2 will cost €60 million.

Phase 3 will follow. This will be a public private partnership project and will consist of an additional extension by 400m southward from phase 1 towards the Queenie Bay at the ex Seychelles Coast Guard which will also include dredging the basin and approach channel to 16.5m in depth.

All phases of the project will be tendered out locally and internationally based on international tender norms and best practices.

Minister Derjacques said the vision for Port Victoria is to be able to handle gearless vessels service by mobile harbour cranes and/ or rubber tire gantry cranes thus creating faster turnaround in terms of container handling.

For more details see Seychelles Nation 28 May 2021