Corporate Affairs
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Design for the South African Navy’s new survey ship confirmed
Norwegian ship design and shipbuilding company Vard Marine, a subsidiary of Italy’s Fincantiere group (which holds 55.63% of the Norwegian enterprise), has confirmed that its VARD 9 105 hydrographic/oceanographic ship design is the one offered to the South African Navy (SAN) by Southern African Shipyards of Durban, to fulfil Project Hotel. South African defence acquisition, disposals and research and development agency Armscor recently announced that Southern African Shipyards had been selected …
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US group unveils its new-generation oversized cargo aircraft
US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has rolled out the first example of the commercial version of its C-130J Super Hercules military airlifter. The civilian model is designated the LM-100J and it was built, and the roll-out ceremony took place at, the company’s plant at Marietta in the US State of Georgia. The aircraft’s first flight is scheduled to take place during the northern spring. The company announced its intent to develop the LM-100J in February 2014. It will now pursue a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) civil type certificate update. The first LM-100J will carry out test flights in support of this certificate update process.
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Good increases in passenger numbers at Acsa’s airports last year
The Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) had a record year last year, in terms of the numbers of passengers who passed through its airports. This was revealed when it published its latest “Aviation Barometer” report. This is the fourth edition of the report, which is compiled from official Acsa statistics. The numbers of passengers that used its nine airports last year came to 39.7-million, an increase of 5.4% over the figure for 2015.
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Frankfurt Airport aims to increase its business with South Africa
Germany’s number one international airport, Frankfurt, is seeking to increase its two-way air cargo trade with South Africa. This was highlighted at a media briefing at the 2017 Air Cargo Africa conference in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, by Fraport AG chief operating officer Anke Giesen. (Fraport is the company that operates Frankfurt International Airport.) “Business is already flourishing,” she pointed out. “Germany is already South Africa’s second largest trading partner, after China.” More than 600 German companies are active in South Africa. “These strong ties between our two countries are reflected by Frankfurt Airport.”
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A380 airliner restored to the Johannesburg route by Emirates
Major international airline Emirates, based in Dubai, recently reintroduced the Airbus A380 Superjumbo on to its Dubai-Johannesburg route, to meet growing passenger demand. Previously, the airline had operated the A380 on its Johannesburg route for a few months in 2011/2012, but the market had not proved mature enough and the type was more needed on other routes. “This time, it’s going to stay!” assured Emirates SVP Commercial Operations: Africa Orhan Abbas.
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African and global airlines enjoyed strong passenger growth last year
Last year, African airlines experienced their strongest year of passenger growth since 2012, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported. Passenger numbers on international flights within, and to and from, the continent, measured in…
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Armscor announces preferred bidders for new Navy ship projects
South Africa’s defence acquisition, disposals and research and development agency Armscor announced on Thursday the preferred bidders to supply ships for the South African Navy’s (SAN’s) projects Biro and Hotel. They are Damen Shipyards Cape Town and South African Shipyards. Project Biro is for the construction of three offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and three inshore patrol vessels (IPVs). Damen is the preferred bidder for both types. Project Hotel is for the construction of a new hydrographic survey ship, although the Armscor press release describes it as a “Hydrographic Survey Capability”.
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Fireblade Aviation rejects security claims about its base at OR Tambo International Airport
South African company Fireblade Aviation has stressed that the international arrivals and departures section of its Fixed-Base Operation (FBO) at OR Tambo International Airport, east of Johannesburg, will be totally under the control of the relevant government agencies. This was made clear in a media briefing and tour of the facility on Wednesday. The FBO was set up to cater for VIP and VVIP passengers, flying into, out of and within South Africa on executive aircraft. It would provide quick and easy access to, and exit from, the country for global leading business people and celebrities. It would also provide them with privacy. Such FBOs are found all over the world – there are 5 000 in the US alone – with integral customs and immigration, and police facilities, but South Africa currently has none in operation.
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Airports company reports good increases in passenger numbers in 2016
The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) had a record year last year, in terms of the numbers of passengers who passed through its airports. This was revealed on Tuesday when it published its latest ‘Aviation Barometer’ report. This is the fourth edition of the report, which is compiled from official ACSA statistics. The number of passengers that used its nine airports last year came to 39.7-million, an increase of 5.4% over the figure for 2015. The company’s three major airports all hit new levels of usage. King Shaka International Airport, serving Durban, saw the greatest increase, at 8.45% over 2015, exceeding five-million passengers last year. Cape Town International Airport experienced growth of 7.3%, reaching 10-million passengers. OR Tambo International Airport, serving Johannesburg, had a 3.8% increase, handling more than 20-million passengers.
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Airbus A400M may have won $2bn Indonesian order – reports
French aerospace journal “Air et Cosmos” and British defence media group Jane’s have both reported that the Indonesian government has approved the purchase of five Airbus A400M military airlifter aircraft. Both cite local Indonesian media as the source of the information. According to the French publication, the deal would be worth $2-billion. These reports have so far not been confirmed either by Airbus or Indonesia. Also, it is possible that Indonesia is intending to buy aircraft already ordered by one of the original programme partner countries, but now regarded as surplus to requirements, and not acquire them directly from Airbus. (Although this would be unusual as Indonesia would then be unable to specify any bespoke systems it might desire for its aircraft.)