Pioneering East Africa Marine Transport vessel launches on Lake Victoria
22nd February 2024, Entebbe, Uganda: Following a construction period of twenty-one months, yesterday saw the launch of the M.V. Mpungu - the pioneering East Africa Marine Transport (EAMT) vessel - on Lake Victoria. The vessel was launched from the purpose-built Entebbe shipbuilding facility of SECO Marine (U) Ltd, an Alpha Group Company. The vessel will now undergo a period of Lake trials before commencing service in Q2 2024. The M.V. Mpungu will be Lake Victoria’s first scheduled roll on / roll off freight vessel, addressing the need for a reliable freight service to facilitate regional and international trade.
Commissioned by InfraCo Africa, part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), and experienced regional logistics company, Grindrod Limited (Grindrod), the 96-metre-long vessel has the capacity to handle up to 1,000 tons of containerised cargo, the equivalent of twenty-one trailers. EAMT also benefitted from a European Union-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund (EU-AITF) grant for market and technical studies as well as for legal and regulatory support.
Brenda Omuombo, Regional HSES Manager (PIDG), officially launched and named the vessel, undertaking the naval tradition of smashing a bottle of champagne on its hull, “I am honoured to have been asked to launch the M.V. Mpungu here today, I wish the vessel - and all who crew and sail on her - good fortune!” The vessel was then launched into the Lake by specialist teams from SECO Marine (U) Ltd.
Honoured guest at the event, State Minister for Works, Hon. Echwera Musa, began by thanking the young men and women present who built the M.V. Mpungu vessel, “They are our heroes today.” He continued, “…thank you to the people who put the idea together first, the owners of the company, for accepting to come and invest in this part of Africa, and to the designers of the vessel who put this design on paper so that it could be translated into reality. It humbles me.” He thanked the vessel stakeholders for having confidence in Uganda. “I can assure you that your investment is safe. Maritime transport is very delicate, there are so many hurdles to be jumped, we shall help you jump those hurdles. We need vessels to occupy our water bodies, there are many who have showed interest, but you have gone beyond that, by proving a presence. This Lake will be full of reliable vessels in the years to come. I declare M.V. Mpungu officially launched, for God and my country!”
Hon. Echwera Musa, Minister for State Works & Transport, Republic of Uganda
Speaking after the launch, Rodney Seema, InfraCo Africa’s Regional Asset Management Lead, said, “The launch today marks the culmination of many years of work by all parties to develop, finance, design and build this pioneering vessel. InfraCo Africa is very proud to have worked with such dedicated partners and to have been a part of EAMT’s journey since the early years and we look forward to continuing our work together as we operationalise the M.V. Mpungu over the coming months. We are excited to witness the economic impact that access to a safe, scheduled freight service will bring for Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and the wider region.”
The ceremony took place in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport and representatives from InfraCo Africa, SECO, Grindrod, OSK Design, Alpha Group and EAMT and members of the construction team who had gathered in Entebbe to mark the momentous occasion of floating the vessel.
Mr. Sujal, Director of SECO Marine (U) Ltd said, “We are thrilled to have launched M.V. Mpungu which has been classed by Bureau Veritas, a global leader in ship classification. This is an important milestone for the vessel, the maritime industry in Uganda, and for logistics within the East African community. After 19 months of close coordination with our partners, we are nearing the final stages of construction. Upscaling and training skilled labour in Uganda has been of particular importance to us and we are delighted to witness the contribution of local talent to this project. Building on sixty years of engineering project delivery, we are proud to have constructed a vessel of this stature, the first of its kind in Uganda and the East African region.”
Mr. Nis Hammer from OSK Design said, “At OSK Design we are pleased to continue our cooperation with InfraCo Africa on this remarkable new project. Contributing to the East Africa regional development has for more than three decades been an integrated part of our culture. Newbuilding’s of this scale improve transport efficiency by shifting a significant traffic volume to the maritime corridor.”
Grindrod will operate the EAMT vessel, offering freight carriers access to a safe, scheduled freight service between Uganda and Tanzania. The EAMT vessel will cross the lake in an anticipated time of eighteen hours, compared with the current journey around the lake by congested regional roads which can take between three and four days.
As well as preventing spoilage of fresh produce, reduced journey times are expected to boost trade, supporting SDG 9.4. The fuel-efficient freight vessel will reduce CO2 equivalent emissions associated with climate change and will remove freight vehicles from the region’s congested road network.
Xolani Mbambo, CEO of Grindrod Limited, emphasised the importance of understanding customers' requirements and finding innovative solutions for efficiently and cost-effectively moving their cargo to markets. "The ferry operation aims to provide a reliable, efficient and cost-effective solution for businesses in the region, thereby promoting trade, and contributing to economic growth. We are excited to be part of this project and confident in our operational teams' ability to deliver excellent results in this endeavour."
The EAMT vessel is expected to undertake its maiden voyage in April 2024.
-ENDS-
Notes for Editors:
Formerly known as Lake Victoria Marine Transport, EAMT was originated by InfraCo Africa’s former developer, eleQtra.
The vessel has been classified by Bureau Veritas and has been built to the highest international standards.
The M.V. Mpungu will operate in compliance with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards for safety of life at sea (SOLAS) and security of shipping and the prevention of pollution by ships (MARPOL).
Inadequate transport infrastructure presents a major barrier to trade expansion in sub-Saharan Africa. Limited routes are vulnerable to disruption and the costs of transporting goods to market are prohibitively high for regional traders and producers.
The Heads of State of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) are committed to adopting an integrated approach to diversifying trade routes, recognising the potential to transform Lake Victoria from a trade barrier to an important trade route.
The Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) PIDG is an innovative infrastructure project developer and investor which mobilises private investment in sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and south and south-east Asia. PIDG investments promote socio-economic development within a just transition to net zero emissions, combat poverty and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PIDG delivers its ambition in line with its values of opportunity, accountability, safety, integrity, and impact. Since 2002, PIDG has supported 211 infrastructure projects to financial close which provided an estimated 222 million people with access to new or improved infrastructure. PIDG is funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Germany and the IFC www.pidg.org
InfraCo Africa: InfraCo Africa is part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and seeks to alleviate poverty by mobilising investment into sub-Saharan infrastructure projects. It does this by investing directly into early-stage projects or by funding experienced teams to provide project development leadership. Through its investments arm, InfraCo Africa can also provide equity to close a financing gap and start construction or fund innovative solutions that need support to scale-up, to pilot new products or enter new markets. InfraCo Africa is funded by the governments of the United Kingdom (through FCDO), the Netherlands (through DGIS) and Switzerland (through SECO). To find out more visit: www.infracoafrica.com
Grindrod Limited exists to make a positive difference in Africa’s trade with the world, touching the lives of the communities in which we operate. The company is listed on the JSE, and invested in a port, strategically located dry-bulk and multi-purpose terminals and logistics operations. Logistics solutions include road transportation, rail services, sea freight, intermodal solutions, stevedoring, clearing & forwarding, ships agency and supporting services. We work hard every day to earn our customer's trust. We are passionate about understanding their unique requirements and collaborating with them to create the most cost-effective and efficient solution to move cargo across trade corridors in sub-Saharan Africa. To find out more visit www.grindrod.com
SECO Marine (U) Ltd: an affiliate of a Mombasa-based Shipyard, Southern Engineering Co. Ltd (SECO) and a part of the larger Alpha Group of companies, is a solution-driven engineering company specializing in marine and offshore engineering solutions in Uganda. To find out more visit www.secoafrica.com
Alpha Group: Engineering, Logistics & Supply Chain Management: With more than 60 years of operations, Alpha Group through its various subsidiaries has achieved remarkable growth in the areas of High-end Engineering, Onshore & Offshore Project Support and Integrated Marine Logistics, Onshore & Offshore Piling solutions, Infrastructure development, Cold Supply Chain Management & Warehousing as well as Remote Camps Management and Catering Services. Through more than 6000 employees and 300 local and international clients, the Group has carved a niche for itself with operations in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, D R Congo, Somalia, Zambia, Mozambique, and the rest of the East African region. To find out more visit www.alphaafrica.com
East Africa Marine Transport Company Ltd (EAMT): EAMT was established under a joint venture between PIDG company InfraCo Africa, and Grindrod Ltd, and will operate a scheduled roll-on roll-off vessel service to facilitate trade across Lake Victoria. EAMT will provide cost-effective, safe, and reliable maritime transport and intermodal logistics solutions, improving access to markets and displacing congested road freight. Incorporated in Uganda
with a subsidiary in Tanzania, EAMT is working to become a leading shipping company on Lake Victoria, driving economic growth whilst reducing carbon emissions relative to road transport.
OSK Design is an international Naval Architect & Marine Engineering company that imagine the future of maritime solutions by consultancy and assisting clients worldwide making smarter ship design choices for their business and the environment. OSK Design chase innovative, bold ship designs that optimize business and lower the environmental impact. For more than 35 years OSK Design has been working with ship design, construction, and rehabilitation in the Sub-Sharan region recently supporting with the newbuilding of the Kalangala Infrastructure Service (KIS – an InfraCo Africa project) and the M.V. Mwanza for the Marine Service Company Limited (MSCL – a Tanzania based shipowner). To find out more visit www.oskdesign.com
For further information please contact:
Media
Lorna McNae
Communications Manager, InfraCo Africa lmcnae@infracoafrica.com
Operations (Freight carriers and traders looking to transport freight on the EAMT vessel)
Emmanuel Ntshangase
Head of Commercial, Grindrod Logistics Africa
Emmanuel.Ntshangase@grindrod.com