A long and enjoyable journey

Naresh Sewnath, Senior Harbour Master at Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) in South Africa’s Port of Durban, began his maritime career back in 1988. He started out as a cadet with TNPA (then known as South African Transport Services (SATS).
“I told them that if they gave me the opportunity, I would give it everything I’d got,” he says.

Off to sea
His first ship was a Safmarine bulk carrier named Sea Merchant. He was, he admits, not fully prepared for life onboard.

“I’d had some induction into spending long periods away, as well as some courses on shore, but this was my first time at sea. I didn’t know what to expect.”

His first job took him to America to load grain.

“I got my steering certificate sailing on the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge,” he states.

Around the world
From here, the cargo was transported to Bangladesh, a 45 day voyage.

“On the way, in the Bay of Bengal we rescued five fisherman who had been washed out to sea after a severe storm.
“It was a very exciting time – my first voyage. I was learning a lot of new things – all the different nautical terms, for starters.

“Plus, I was spending a lot of time with crew members from all over the world, including Filipinos, Irish, British, and Croations. I got to learn a lot about different cultures.”

Tug master
After sailing aboard a number of vessels for Safmarine and Unicorn Shipping he became Third Officer in 1993. A year later, he was recalled by Transnet; following six months of training he became a tug master in the Port of Durban.

“I spent four years on the tugs. This provided me with some nice opportunities for development, as I became proficient in various propulsion systems, Schottel, Voith and Z-Pellers. We had an agreement in place with the Shipping and Transport College (STC) in Rotterdam and, in 1999, I was selected as one of twelve candidates to go to the Netherlands. Here, I received practical and theory training to become a marine pilot.

“This led to a very exciting three months in Rotterdam doing theoretical, simulation and practical onboard training. Navigating in the snow in Rotterdam was extremely cold and ship handling in that weather was challenging but also satisfying when successfully docking and undocking the training vessel without the use of tugs.”

Into the harbour
By 2002, Naresh was working in the role of VTS Manager in the Port of Durban. During this time, he was responsible for setting up a VTS system during a relocation, as well as overseeing change management. This required the implementation of new technologies, and assisting colleagues in embracing the developments.

Then, in 2005, a Harbour Master position became available in Mossel Bay. Previously the port had been served by the Harbour Master in Port Elizabeth – some four and a half hours away by road.

“This was an exciting time for me, too. It’s a small port, but I was required to set up a new Harbour Master office, which was a nice challenge. Besides, it gave me chance to experience the fishing industry, which was interesting for me.”

On the move
Soon after, in 2009, Naresh was on the move again, this time as Harbour Master in the larger Port of East London.

“This was an interesting role. The port was slightly bigger, and it handles diverse cargoes. There are car carriers serving the Mercedes Benz plant there, as well as liquid bulk, cement, and cattle.”

Then, in 2014, he moved into his present role of Senior Harbour Master at TNPA HQ back in the Port of Durban – as role as diverse as it is challenging.

Tailored to South African requirements
“My job is to provide support to Harbour Masters around the country. A lot of what takes place nationally is organised from our head office in Durban,” Naresh explains.

“The IT systems for the whole country are managed here, scientific research is undertaken, and a lot of processes are systems are integrated at our head office. For example, the South African weather forecasting and alerts, as well as the Integrated Port Management System(IPMS) – that was a particularly interesting project for me as I was involved from concept to execution. We customised the entire system from scratch to meet South African requirements, and today it is in operation throughout the country.”

Long service
To date, Naresh has spent 38 years at the organisation today known as TNPA and has recently received a long service award.

“It’s been a long journey,” he says. “And I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. There have always been challenges, but these can be overcome. That’s how you learn, and on this job, you never stop learning. Things evolve. There are a lot of new technologies emerging, and many port developments. I hope, as someone senior, who knows the environment and has years of experience, that I can provide useful advice on these matters. Going forward, it’s all about sharing knowledge.”

A community of Harbour Masters

One way in which Naresh is able to share the benefits of his experience is via the Harbour Master community. He was, for example, involved in the development of the African Harbour Masters Committee. The African chapter of the IHMA, currently under the leadership of Captain Thulani Dubeko, held its second seminar in April this year in Cape Town. Hosted by TNPA, together with the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA), the successful seminar was themed Navigating the Future – Sustainable Port Management in Africa.

Naresh has been a member of IHMA since his time in the Port of East London. Today he is one of the association’s Vice Presidents and clearly sees the benefits of such a network.

Valuable membership
“There are a lot of members in South Africa – we used to attend events on a rotational basis. I’ve had the chance to visit quite a lot of ports during IHMA Congress. This is a very valuable experience, putting you face to face with other Harbour Masters, learning how they operate and what they experience. It’s very interesting. Then there are the exhibitions. With these, you get to see first-hand all the latest technology on the market.

“The IHMA is also involved in a lot of important research, and our community plays a huge role in supporting other maritime organisations. We’re widely viewed as professionals able to contribute to studies and publications. The voice of Harbour Masters are heard by international organisations, like the IMO, IALA, PIANC, through the IHMA. I think we can all take pride in that reputation.

“It’s a very valuable membership. There is a lot of networking you can do. I always look forward to connecting with colleagues around the world. And there are a lot of people you can turn to with your questions. Most of the time you will find someone who has experienced a similar challenge who is will to help.”.