Raise the flag…BUILT IN AFRICA
Reinhart Schwendinger
Owner, Consultant, Sales/Bizz Dev. [Auto, Solar, Marine & Property]
BUILT IN AFRICA, for Africa and Beyond - yes in Africa!
Recently I was reminded of the goal, more so the 'raison d'etre' of why a handful of shipyards, as well as other industrial manufacturers for that matter, exist on the African continent.
It is simply, “we are proudly African and we manufacture in Africa in order to; serve the need effectively, make a difference on our continent, invest & develop the economy, through for e.g. skills development etc, all for the good of those that are 'touched' with multiplying effects. Doing so profitably, honourably and all the while helping to retain and build value on hard worked soil.”
In the ship building industry the results are spectacular, with usually the first and/or best in class vessels sailing out of the various yards and off of ours shores into the deep blue, ready to serve by doing what they have been purpose built to do.?
In a recent article (Cape Times 29 Jul 2020) by Maritime Educator, Author, and Columnist Brian Ingpen, Brian comments when referring to job creation, “That plea means more than income to families; rather it also means that people have a reason to get up in the morning because they have the dignity of work.” It’s that restoring of dignity that we after, changing one life at a time, investing in the future...
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Interestingly a Google search for ‘built in Africa for Africa’ revealed 1 140 000 000 results (in 0,78 seconds), compared to 2 070 000 000 results (1,03 seconds) and 1 390 000 000 results (1,11 seconds) for built in the ‘USA’ and ‘Europe’ respectively. So on the web, we seem half way there – let’s not stop now.
As famously said by the late President Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it's done.” So let’s aim to make keep making a difference by supporting not only those products, but the many people that make the dream possible!?
Yes, BUILT in AFRICA, for Africa and Beyond, for a very good reason.
Note: To this end the Shipyards of Africa "Built in Africa for Africa & beyond" group was founded - do click on the link if you'd like to join in the movement towards owning and solving our own 'African' challenges.
Owner, Consultant, Sales/Bizz Dev. [Auto, Solar, Marine & Property]
4 年The 'Built in Africa' drive is the major reason for the Maritime Africa "Built in Africa for Africa & beyond" group's existance: https://www.dhirubhai.net/groups/12138025/ Pls do join and/or follow to help promote the goal. Much appreciated.
Business Development | Project Manager | Optimist | Life long learner
4 年In 2009 I wrote an article on creating an African built platform for Africa. The premise was that it would be built in Africa with locally produced COTS items. Furthermore that it could create a base platform for other African countries thus easing the burden of creating new platforms and helping with scalability of industry. You must be able to provide the same level of support, whether you are in Durban, Pemba or Luanda. I believe that Africa must build for Africa.
Marine Surveyor and Managing Director at Transmarine Consultancy & Inspection GHANA
4 年The African maritime culture can help Africans in insuring their own vessels... Thus the creation of A.CLUB (African P&I Club) with the purpose of insuring (P&I and H&M risks) vessels of Africans' shipowners on mutual basis, using thus only African shipyards for repairs... African shipping companies are collapsing due to high cost of the insurance market out of Africa...
Owner of NOBLE CONCENTRIC SOLUTIONS, Defence and Maritime Consulting
4 年Built in Africa for Africa is definitely the way to go - we under stand the environment better, the cultures and more importantly, the need to create a sustainable maritime culture in AFRICA by Africans for Africans. Well done Reinhart for pushing this further!