View source for SAS Tafelberg

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2012}}
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|Ship country=Denmark
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Denmark}}
|Ship name= MT ''Annam''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship class=[[Tanker (ship)|Tanker]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=Nakskov Skibsværft, [[Nakskov]], Denmark
|Ship yard number=150
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=20 June 1958
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|Ship commissioned=
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|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=Sold to [[Safmarine]] in 1965
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=[[Copenhagen]]
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=South Africa
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|South Africa|naval-1952}} {{shipboxflag|South Africa|naval-1981}}
|Ship renamed=SAS ''Tafelberg'' (1965)
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship namesake=[[Table Mountain]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=Dockyard, Durban
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=
|Ship purchased=1965
|Ship commissioned=19 August 1967<ref name="Wessels"/>
|Ship decommissioned=1993
|Ship operator=[[South African Navy]]
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|ship identification=A23
|Ship reclassified=*[[Replenishment oiler|Replenishment]] ship (1967)
*[[Amphibious assault ship|Assault ship]] (1984)
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=Scrapped in 1993
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=[[Naval Base Simon's Town|Simonstown]]
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname='Mama Tafies' or 'Tafies'
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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 |Ship displacement=18,980 tons
 |Ship length={{convert|170.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
 |Ship beam={{convert|21.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
 |Ship draught={{convert|8.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
 |Ship propulsion={{convert|10000|hp|abbr=on}} 8-cylinder turbo-charged diesel
 |Ship speed={{convert|16|kn}}
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship boats=6 Delta fast assault craft
|Ship capacity=
 |Ship complement=9 officers and 118 ratings
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|Ship armament=* 4 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
* 6 × 12,7 mm guns
* 2 x 40/60 bofors guns
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=2 × [[Atlas Oryx]] helicopters
}}
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'''SAS ''Tafelberg''''' was a [[replenishment oiler|replenishment ship]] (AOR) of the [[South African Navy]]. The ship started life as the Danish [[tanker (ship)|tanker]] '''''Annam''''' before undergoing various conversions into her final configuration.

==Early history==
SAS ''Tafelberg'' started life in 1958 as the Danish tanker ''Annam''<ref name="DuToit">{{cite book | title=South Africa's Fighting Ships Past and Present | publisher=Ashanti Publishing | author=Du Toit, A | authorlink=Allan du Toit | year=1992 | isbn=1-874800-50-2}}</ref>{{rp|244}} in the service of the [[East Asiatic Company]] in [[Copenhagen]]. She was one of four similar ships commissioned at the time, and was named by the local [[Thailand|Thai]] ambassador's daughter Vasna Virajakar. [[BP Shipping]] leased her for five years.

==South African Navy==
She was purchased in 1965 by [[Safmarine]] before being reconfigured in Durban as the [[Replenishment oiler|replenishment ship]] SAS ''Tafelberg'' and sold to the [[South African Navy]] (SAN).<ref name="SAN">{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil.za/aboutus/history/index.htm|title=History of the SA Navy|publisher=[[South African Navy]]|date=22 November 2007|accessdate=2008-06-22}}</ref> At this time, she had five refuelling points, one astern and two solid stores transfer stations.

In 1967, in the company of {{SAS|President Kruger|F150|6}} and {{SAS|President Pretorius}}, she visited [[Argentina]], while in 1968 she visited Australia along with {{SAS|President Steyn}} and ''President Pretorius''.<ref name="Wessels"/>

In 1971 ''Tafelberg'' acted as official guardship for the [[South Atlantic Race|Cape-to-Rio yacht race]]. Because of apartheid South Africa's political isolation at the time, the ship could not enter [[Rio de Janeiro]] and instead travelled up the River Plate to [[Buenos Aires]].

In November 1975 at the end of [[Operation Savannah (Angola)|Operation Savannah]], she provided logistical support to ''President Kruger'' and ''President Steyn'' during the [[Operation Savannah (Angola)#Ambrizete Incident|Ambrizete Incident]], and also subsequently went to [[Zaire]] to retrieve the [[Ordnance QF 25 pounder|guns]] that the army left behind in Angola.

In 1980, ''Tafelberg'' had a small flight deck that was fitted to the stern of the ship behind the funnel deck for use of the [[Westland Wasp|Wasp]] helicopter, but had no hangar or refueling points and was used solely for transporting persons from ''Tafelberg'' to the frigates and vice versa

''Tafelberg'' was involved in a collision in the South Atlantic with the [[Rothesay-class frigate|frigate]] [[SAS President Kruger|SAS ''President Kruger'']] on 18 February 1982, during which ''President Kruger'' sank with the loss of 16 lives.<ref>{{cite book|title=Three Frigates – The South African Navy comes of Age|publisher=Just Done Productions Publishing|first1=Rear Admiral Chris|last1=Bennett|date=June 2006|isbn=1-920169-02-4}}</ref>

In 1983–1984, ''Tafelberg'' underwent significant changes. The rear refuelling points were removed and an additional landing deck with two hangars was fitted aft.  The vessel was configured to carry two [[Aérospatiale Puma|Puma]] or [[Atlas Oryx]] helicopters, although the larger [[Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon|Super Frelon]] helicopter was also used until they were removed from service. Helicopter operations were particularly risky, for these helicopters, not being designed for marine use, were unable to apply negative [[Blade pitch|pitch]] to their [[helicopter rotor|main rotors]], therefore making them vulnerable to rolling off the flight deck in heavy seas.

The 1983 changes also included accommodation and [[mess]]ing facilities for 300 marines under the flight deck, a hospital and [[davit]]s for six Delta fast [[landing craft]].<ref name="Wessels">{{cite journal|url=http://search.sabinet.co.za/images/ejour/contemp/contemp_v31_n3_a15.pdf|title=The South African Navy During The Years of Conflict In Southern Africa, 1966–1989|date=20 April 2007|first1=Andre|last1=Wessels|accessdate=2008-05-12|publisher= Sabinet Online Ltd}}</ref> Each of these craft was able to carry and put ashore a short wheel-base [[Land Rover]] and an infantry section with all equipment.

In 1987, she went to [[Mauritius]] along with the [[Warrior-class strike craft]] {{SAS|Jim Fouche}} to assist in the recovery of debris and bodies following the [[South African Airways Flight 295|crash of the ''Helderberg'']] [[Boeing 747]].

She participated in numerous exercises and operations during her lifespan, earning her the affectionate nickname "''Mama Tafies''" ([[Afrikaans]] for "Mother Tafies") on her maiden voyage from Durban to Simonstown.

SAS ''Tafelberg'' was sold for scrap in 1993. {{SAS|Outeniqua}}, and later {{SAS|Drakensberg|A301|6}}, took over her role in the fleet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil.za/aboutus/history/index.htm|title=History of the SA Navy|publisher=[[South African Navy]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.faergejournalen.dk/handelsskibe/eac_lines/annam_1958.htm East Asiac Lines: Annam] (Danish Site)
* [http://www.cargo-vessels-international.at/ANNAM.pdf Annam]
* [http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/eac/eac1950-1959.htm Ships of the East Asiatic Line 1950–1959]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tafelberg}}
[[Category:Ships of the South African Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Denmark]]
[[Category:1958 ships]]