KAROLINE (IMO 9375874) Table Bay, Cape Town
KAROLINE (IMO 9375874): Multipurpose Cargo Vessel in the South Atlantic
Explore KAROLINE (IMO 9375874), a versatile multipurpose cargo vessel serving Cape Town, Saint Helena and the South Atlantic maritime supply network.
Photographer's Note: COLD STREAM (IMO 9051791) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database.
A Compact Multipurpose Cargo Vessel Serving the South AtlanticKAROLINE (IMO 9375874)
Built in 2006 at Slovenské Lodenice in Komárno, Slovakia, the vessel has an overall length of approximately 86.5 metres, a beam of 12.8–13 metres, gross tonnage of 2,588, and a deadweight capacity of approximately 3,345 tonnes. She is classified as a general-cargo vessel, although her current commercial description by MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping is more specifically “Multipurpose Tweendecker.” Her cargo capacity is listed at approximately 4,615 cubic metres, with provision for 167 TEU and 28 refrigerated containers.
This combination of characteristics gives KAROLINE a degree of flexibility that is particularly valuable on routes where cargo volumes are insufficient to justify larger container ships. Her configuration includes a single box-shaped cargo hold and two 35-tonne cranes, which can be combined for heavier lifts. This means that the vessel is not dependent exclusively upon sophisticated shore-side container infrastructure: she possesses her own cargo-handling capability and can therefore serve ports with more limited facilities.
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A vessel with a changing identity
KAROLINE's history is unusually interesting for a vessel of her size. Her IMO number, 9375874, has remained constant throughout her career, while her name and flag have changed. Earlier in her life she operated as TUPERNA, ANETTE SCAN, SOUTHERN PHOENIX, and subsequently again as TUPERNA before becoming KAROLINE in 2021. The vessel's documented history therefore provides a useful reminder that the identity of a commercial ship is more complex than its painted name: the IMO number provides the persistent reference point through changes of ownership, management, name and flag.
Her earlier operational history also demonstrates the geographical flexibility of this type of vessel. In 2015, while operating as TUPERNA, she was recorded carrying wheat bran from Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to Praia da Vitória in the Azores. Contemporary vessel records describe her as a general-cargo ship with two 35-tonne cranes, an approximately 3,345-tonne deadweight and a service speed of about 12 knots.
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KAROLINE and the South Atlantic supply chain
Her present role is particularly significant because KAROLINE has become associated with the South Atlantic service operated by MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping. The company lists her as a multipurpose tweendecker and gives a configuration including container, reefer and conventional breakbulk capabilities.
This versatility is especially relevant to the supply of Saint Helena, a remote British island in the South Atlantic. Information on the island's maritime communications records that, since March 2024, MACS has provided the sea-freight service between Cape Town and Saint Helena, using KAROLINE on the Cape Town–Saint Helena voyages. The vessel also serves Ascension Island and has a limited number of passenger cabins.
The significance of this operation goes beyond simply transporting containers. Remote islands require a reliable flow of food, manufactured goods, equipment, refrigerated products and other essentials. A vessel such as KAROLINE, combining conventional cargo handling with container and reefer capability, is well suited to this logistical environment.
Her operational pattern also places her within the maritime network linking Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Lüderitz and the South Atlantic islands. Recent AIS records have documented calls at Cape Town, Walvis Bay and Lüderitz, while other voyage records show Cape Town–Jamestown/ Saint Helena movements.
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A compact vessel with considerable capability
At just over 86 metres long, KAROLINE is modest by contemporary commercial shipping standards. Yet her dimensions should not be confused with limited capability. Her 3,345-tonne deadweight, substantial cargo volume, onboard cranes and multipurpose configuration make her an adaptable workboat for regional and specialist cargo logistics.
There is also an interesting photographic dimension to observing such vessels. Large container ships and bulk carriers naturally dominate the maritime skyline, but ships such as KAROLINE reveal another layer of commercial shipping: the smaller vessels that connect secondary ports, islands and regional economies to the international supply chain.
For maritime observers, these ships can therefore be particularly rewarding subjects. Their relatively compact dimensions make it possible to appreciate details of hull form, superstructure, deck machinery, cranes, cargo hatches and container arrangements that can become visually insignificant on a much larger vessel.
KAROLINE as a Maritime Observation System subject
From a Maritime Observation System perspective, KAROLINE represents an excellent example of why vessel identification should extend beyond basic visual recognition.
The ship's IMO 9375874 provides the fixed identity. Her dimensions, cargo configuration, historical names, flag changes, ownership and operational routes then add layers to the observational record. Her current association with MACS and the South Atlantic supply network further transforms what might initially appear to be simply a photograph of a small cargo ship into a record of maritime infrastructure serving geographically isolated communities.
KAROLINE demonstrates that commercial significance is not necessarily proportional to physical size. A vessel of approximately 86 metres can occupy a strategically important niche precisely because she is small enough, flexible enough and sufficiently self-contained to operate efficiently within specialised regional and island logistics.
Seen in that context, KAROLINE is not merely another general-cargo ship encountered during coastal observation. She is an example of the adaptive, multipurpose vessel that continues to make maritime trade possible beyond the major container ports.
Photographic Equipment
Camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III
Lens: Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM Lens
Photographic Genre: Maritime Photography / Ship Spotting
Location: Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
References
Gard. (2026). Karoline (IMO 9375874). Gard P&I.
MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping. (2026). Fleet: KAROLINE.
Saint Helena Island Info. (2026). Communications: Sea freight.
ShipSpotting. (2015). TUPERNA – IMO 9375874: Vessel particulars and photographic record.
VesselFinder. (2026). KAROLINE, general cargo ship – IMO 9375874.
