Transnet’s forthcoming project to create deeper berths at Durban Container Terminal (DCT): Pier 2’s North Quay will enable the Port of Durban to accommodate newer generation container vessels by 2023.
Addressing stakeholders at a business breakfast in Durban on Tuesday, representatives of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and Transnet Group Capital (TGC) provided a project update to stakeholders ahead of anticipated site establishment by end October 2018.
The contract for the multi-billion-rand Main Marine Construction Works package has been awarded to CMI Emtateni Joint Venture, which boasts a Level 2 BEE status and is made up largely of four entities.
These include Italian construction company CMC Di Ravenna and its 51% black-owned South African company CMI Infrastructure, which is a 10-year old unincorporated Joint Venture with PG Mavundla Engineering (PTY) Ltd.
Also included in the partnership are Omame Emtateni Empowerment Group Consortium, which is a combination of five local, independently owned, black- woman-owned companies that have been working as a collective for the last fifteen years, and Masinya Emtateni Empowerment Group Consortium which was also formed through a combination of five local black companies.
An independent Environmental Compliance Officer (ECO) package was awarded to GIBB to audit environmental compliance on the project.
Transnet Chief Capital Officer, Krishna Reddy, said the R7 billion mega project would help to sustain the existing container operations at the Port of Durban, specifically DCT Berths 203 to 205.
“In the Port of Durban which handles approximately 65% of the total containerised cargo of South Africa, we have a critical need to provide modern, safe, deeper and longer container berths to accommodate the ever-increasing size of container vessels we are now servicing. This will ensure that our flagship Port of Durban and South Africa as a whole remain competitive within the industry, while catering safely for the needs of the marine sector,” he said.
The Main Marine Construction Works to be carried out by CMI include the reconstruction, deepening and lengthening of berths 203 to 205 to provide safe docking capacity. Currently Super Post Panamax vessels 9200 TEU and larger take up two berths on the North Quay, shrinking port capacity, while larger vessels can only enter the channel at high tide. This results in delays and vessel queues at outer anchorage.
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