The South African economy has benefitted from security concerns in the Middle East as more freight and cruise companies call at Gqeberha, Durban and Cape Town ports while avoiding the Suez Canal.
Many South Africans, this writer among them, were able to take advantage of this forced rerouting and sail on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 (QM2) from Cape Town to Southampton in the UK in April this year, a total of 6 173,6 nautical miles, at significantly discounted rates.
Cunard’s QM2 is the only ocean liner in service today. She is built to make the Atlantic crossing from Southampton, UK, to New York, USA, in the safest and most comfortable way possible. While many cruise ships have a stabiliser to limit the roll and pitch that typically leads to seasickness, the QM2 has two 5m-long stabilisers that extend from the hull.
Her hull is made up of 94 steel blocks (made from 580 panels), some of which weigh more than 600t, involving some 1 500km of welding. The hull weighs 50 000t (more than a school of 330 blue whales) – not to be confused with her gross tonnage of 150 000 – all of which makes her the most comfortable place to be at sea, and that’s not even considering her luxury accommodations and five-star public spaces.
ROYAL MAIL SHIP
Designed by Stephen Payne OBE and built in France by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) Queen Mary 2 (to use her full name) remains the largest ocean liner ever built, even if newer cruise ships carry more passengers.
When you divide the tonnage by the passenger number, you get the ‘passenger space ratio’, literally the ton per passenger, which is intentionally very high, giving QM2 guests plenty of space and removing any sense of claustrophobia on a voyage with many sea days. A typical Atlantic crossing is seven days.
Denne historien er fra June 21, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra June 21, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
