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

The Seychelles Minister for Tourism & Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sylvestre Radegonde, has announced the resumption of cruise ship activities in the country commencing August 2021.

The announcement was front page news in th Seychelles Nation. To read the full story click here.

The Greenpeace International vessel Arctic Sunrise has arrived at Port Victoria. After a crew change, the research ship will depart to conduct scientific research at the Saya de Malha Bank between Seychelles and Mauritius, before returning to Mahe at the end of March 2021. Mahe Shipping are serving the vessel as local shipping agent.

The purpose of this expedition is to collect information about the biological diversity present at the Saya de Malha Bank and to contribute to knowledge of the value of such sites for conservation. This will include mapping marine diversity of the region including sharks and whales by means of environmental DNA sampling. Seagrass meadows and coral reefs will also be studied.

The vessel M.V. Fugro Gauss has arrived in Seychelles to perform a survey prior to the laying of a new cable in north Mahe at a site yet to be selected. M.V. Fugro Gauss is a purpose-built hydrographic and cable route survey vessel, fitted with a bespoke infrastructure for both geophysical and geotechnical survey work. In addition to deep tow side scan sonar, magnetometer and high precision surface positioning equipment, the Fugro Gauss is the only commercial survey vessel with a hull-mounted  Innomar Deep 2000 system covering depths up to 6000 metres.

Pictured above, upon arrival Lynze Marimba, Head of The Agency Department of Mahe Shipping presented to Captain Andrej Kovaliov and Party Chief Mr Lennart of MV Fugro Gauss a copy of the book Seychelles, Ships and the Sea, a maritime history of Seychelles published in 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mahe Shipping Company.
 Full vessel particulars may be seen here.
A complete overview of the project is available here.
Pictured below is the survey area from Machabee (left) to Carana (right).

Mahe Shipping have donated one million rupees to the Seychelles Covid-19 Relief Fund Foundation.  The donation was made on behalf of the company on 21 January 2021 by Managing Director Joe Morin and Finance Director Caroline Cetoupe. The directors of the company were unanimous in their support for the government in tackling the current unprecendented crisis .

H Savy Insurance Co Ltd, in which Mahe Shipping holds 11.25% of the equity donated a further SR1,000,000.

As we enter the New Year, construction of new office and warehouse facilities which will house Mahe Shipping's operations is taking shape. The site is owned by subsidiary company Liquid Air and is conveniently located close to the New Port. Completion is scheduled for mid-2021.

Mahe Shipping staff celebrated Christmas Eve with awards to long serving staff handed out by Chairman Gerry Adam, Managing Director Joe Morin and HR Manager Bernadette Denis.

Pictured above recieivng their awards from top left to bottom right are Sandra Maria (5 years), Rebecca Tirant (5 years), Lynze Marimba (5 years), Rolly Caffrine (10 years), Vincent Remie (5 years) and Adrian Skerrett (40 years).

A special award also went to Gitanne Gendron, Mahe Shipping's longest serving member of staff. Mrs Gendron  joined the comapny in its infancy in on 1st September 1972.