Women power displayed on World Maritime Day 2019 in Mossel Bay - MosselbayonTheline
Women power displayed on World Maritime Day 2019 in Mossel Bay
Women's role in ocean matters has changed dramatically in the last decade and in Mossel Bay, women are steadily taking charge of the ship in the previously male-dominated maritime world.
At the Port of Mossel Bay, women already occupy several top positions such as Harbour Master, engineering manager, acting senior operations manager, tug masters, marine pilots, stevedores, shore-hands and more.
Mossel Bay's female pioneers in the Maritime World: Port of Mossel Bay's harbour master Vania Cloete, Ziphozethu Khumalo (Marine engineer officer), Nonhlanhla Nyidi (technical supervisor), Talita Pillay (civil engineer), Noneka Mzimkhulu (vessel traffic control) and Vuyokazi Sabani (programme director).
Nationally, women occupy half (50%) of the top management positions within the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), with three of the eight commercial ports having female port managers - East London, Ngqura and Cape Town.
These interesting information were shared with a group of engineering students of the South Cape College on World Maritime Day at the Mossel Bay harbour.
About 60 engineering students were treated to an inspiring and informative day of lively talks and a panel discussion by harbour management personnel about the myriad of opportunities within the ocean in the engineering and oil & gas sector.
A real-life simulation of a sea rescue drama with a twist, including a stow-away situation with a high-speed chase and arrest, was the highlight of the Port's World Maritime Day celebrations and Port Open Day under the global theme of Empowering Women in the Maritime Industry that was held at the Gannet restaurant.
Harbour Master Vania Cloete and other female pioneers had the students hanging onto their lips with their fascinating and inspiring tales of perseverance despite hardship to follow their dreams against all odds.
We captured the event on our Facebook page with photos:
September 26 at 7:51 PM ·
SPRING holiday in the BAY on World Maritime Day!
While locals and holidaymakers enjoyed Mossel Bay's exquisite weather and pristine beaches, drama broke out in the harbour where the Police's Sea Border Unit had to deal with a man who fell aboard . . . and after a dramatic sea rescue operation, it turned out the "drowning man" was a stowaway with criminal intentions.
The moment he tried to flee the scene in the rescue boat, the marine police were on him and after a dramatic high-speed chase and some gunshot firing, the culprit was safely apprehended and taken into custody . . . and a huge crowd gathered to thank and praise our harbour management, rescue teams and police for a job done well.
NOBODY messes with Mossel Bay's ocean and marine life!
PS. The drama in the harbour was actually part of an exciting real-life scenario especially organised by Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) Port of Mossel Bay to demonstrate the various responsibilities and duties that Transnet fulfill to engineering students of the South Cape College in Mossel Bay.
The dramatic sea drama was the highlight of the Port's World Maritime Day celebrations and Port Open Day under the global theme of Empowering Women in the Maritime Industry that was held at the Gannet restaurant.
* After today's impressive celebrations, we think ALL engineering students are soon going to seek jobs at the Port of Mossel Bay . . .
More info to follow soon - the above photos speak for themselves.
Talita Pillay, first civil engineer at the Port of Mossel Bay, inspired students with her riveting story.
Engineering students of South Cape College at Mossel Bay Harbour
Die groepie ingenieurstudente van South Cape College wat Donderdag op Wêreld Maritiemedag deur Transnet by die Gannet-restaurant en Mosselbaaise hawe onthaal en bederf is, het 'n insiggewende kykie agter die skerms van hawebestuur en -bedrywighede gekry waarvan selfs min oud-Mosselbaaiers bewus is.
Vanjaar se tema - om vroue se rol in die maritieme-wêreld te versterk - is deur Mosselbaai se eie vroulike pioniers in dié uitdagende bedryf uitgelig met hul aangrypende persoonlike verhale van vasberade vasbyt en voortstu in 'n tradisioneel manlike domein.
Vroue beklee deesdae 50% van die topbestuur-poste in Transnet en Mosselbaai spog self met 'n vroulike hawemeester, ingenieursbestuurder en talle vroue in verskillende senior posisies in dié diverse bedryf.
Die studente het behoorlik aan hul lippe gehang en die aksie-belaaide nabootsing van 'n lewensgetroue reddingsaksie en verstekeling-drama in regte "Cowboys & Crooks-styl" in die hawe was 'n hoogtepunt wat hulle altyd sal bybly. Die studente was ook gelukkig om die hawe en Mosselbaai se mooi kuslyn vanuit 'n ander hoek te bekyk wat min mense beskore is . . . . dié dat al die fotograwe hulleself ook gate uit geniet het. Foto's sê dit boonop beter as enige woorde
* Die gewilde jaarlikse Mosselbaai Seiljagvaart-wedren wat tradisioneel dié tyd van die jaar tussen Simonstad en Mosselbaai plaasvind, kan nie vanjaar gehou word nie omdat die seiljagklub deesdae letterlik "haweloos" is sedert die Transnet-perseel aan die maatskappy Mosselbaai Waterfront verhuur word vir 'n restaurant- en toerisme-ontwikkeling.
Onderhandelinge hieroor is aan die gang en besluite oor die toekoms van dié gewilde Mosselbaaise seiljagvaartresies sal na verwagting vroeg aanstaande jaar geneem word.
Shirley Schmidt, multiple award-winning businesswoman and CEO of Afrishore Shipping: