South Africa’s iconic research vessel, the SA Agulhas, is set to be auctioned off in a judicial arrest auction early next year, marking the end of an era in the country’s oceanographic and Antarctic research history.

The auction will take place online via MS Teams on 22 January 2026, with the vessel currently berthed at Berth 205 at the Durban International Container Terminal.

Built in 1977 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, the steel-hulled SA Agulhas served South Africa’s scientific community for more than three decades under the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

The vessel measures nearly 112 metres in length, has a gross tonnage of approximately 6 123 tons, a range of 15 000 nautical miles, and the capacity to remain at sea for up to 90 days.

The ship played a pivotal role in supporting the South African National Antarctic Programme, conducting supply missions to remote bases including Marion Island, Gough Island, and the SANAE Antarctic station.

It was also instrumental in carrying out critical research in the notoriously harsh waters of the Southern Ocean.

Polar research legacy

After more than 30 years of service, the SA Agulhas was retired in 2012 and replaced by the SA Agulhas II, a modern research vessel that continues South Africa’s polar research legacy.

Operating from Cape Town, the newer vessel has been involved in high-profile missions, including the search for Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance in the Weddell Sea.

The auction follows the judicial arrest of the SA Agulhas at the Port of Durban after financial difficulties faced by its operators led to a prolonged period during which crew members reportedly went unpaid.

A court order issued last week saw the Durban High Court appoint Solution Strategists as auctioneers to oversee the sale.

Prospective bidders will be required to pay a refundable registration deposit of $50 000 (R840 000).

Full auction details, including court documents, vessel files and an independent condition survey, are available from Solution Strategists.

The sale signals the final chapter for one of South Africa’s most storied research vessels, which played a central role in advancing the country’s marine and polar science for more than a generation.