A South African court has ordered the auction of the SA Agulhas, a historic polar research vessel, with plans for its repurposing.
A South African court has ordered the auction of the country's historic polar research vessel, SA Agulhas. This sale, which comes with the promise of repurposing the ship, has gained attention as the vessel served in South Africa's polar research for 35 years before being retired.
Earlier this year, SA Agulhas completed two scientific research missions but was later placed under judicial arrest at the Port of Durban. The vessel was detained following legal action initiated by creditors due to financial difficulties, with reports indicating that the crew has not received their salaries for months.
Last week, the Durban High Court authorized an auction company named Solution Strategists to conduct the sale process. The online auction, organized by Strategic Solutions, is scheduled for January 22, 2026, via MS Teams. Participants in the auction are required to pay a refundable registration fee of $50,000.
SA Agulhas, approximately 112 meters long and weighing 6,123 gross tons, is notable for its ice-strengthened hull, which was used in Antarctic expeditions. Built in Japan in 1977, the ship supported the South African National Antarctic Program for over 30 years and was retired in 2012 after the commissioning of South Africa's currently active modern polar research vessel, SA Agulhas II.
The auction of the vessel, currently docked at the container terminal in Durban, comes just two years after the South African government transferred ownership of SA Agulhas to the German company J*S Maritime. The government had long sought a suitable buyer for the vessel, and the new owners had promised to refurbish it for use in exploratory missions and polar tourism.
Under the sale conditions, J*S Maritime was required to continue using the vessel for the training of South African maritime candidates. Following the handover ceremony held in January 2024, the repurposed SA Agulhas was recognized as the operational flagship of the Seafarer Employment and Development Program. However, the auctioning of the vessel has raised concerns within maritime circles regarding the future of the training project.
In an attempt to rescue SA Agulhas from auction, J*S Maritime transferred ownership of the vessel to HF Offshore Services Mexico mid-year. However, HF Offshore's ongoing legal issues in Mexico have hindered the improvement of the vessel's financial situation.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
