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World’s Largest Diamond Ship Sets Sail in Namibia
Jun 18, 2017 5:23 AM
By Rapaport News
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RAPAPORT... De Beers launched the world’s largest diamond-exploration
ship on Thursday, as it looks to Namibian waters to maintain production levels.
The mv SS Nujoma cost
$157 million to build and will allow Debmarine Namibia, De Beers’ joint venture with the Namibian
government, to secure the country's diamond supply “well
into the future,” the miner said in a statement. The ship will enable Debmarine to maintain its current annual rough-diamond production rate of 1.2 million carats up until
2035, Reuters reported.
Of Debmarine’s six
ships, the mv SS Nujoma is the first to be dedicated to exploration and sampling. The vessel uses technologies that
enable it to take larger samples than any other, and at a faster rate,
De Beers said. The craft will mine diamonds at around 120 meters to 140 meters
below sea level at double the speed of its predecessor, De Beers explained.
Marine diamonds are generally more valuable than land-based
stones because lower-quality gems are washed away by waves, Reuters said.
“Offshore diamond mining is becoming increasingly important
in meeting global demand for diamonds as many of the major onshore deposits
have now been discovered,” said De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver. “The mv SS Nujoma
will allow even more of Namibia’s high-quality offshore diamonds to be
discovered and mined, ensuring a strong future for Namibia’s diamond industry,
as well as the global diamond market.”
The 12,000-tonne ship, 113 meters long, has created 140
jobs, the vast majority of which have been filled by Namibians. It has a crew
of 80 and a helicopter deck suitable for Sikorsky S61s. The vessel is named for
Sam Nujoma, Namibia’s first president. |
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Tags:
Bruce Cleaver, De Beers, Debmarine, Debmarine Namibia, diamond exploration, mv SS Nujoma, Namibia, Offshore mining, Rapaport News, Sam Nujoma
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