Coega plans to extend container facilities

Environmental report released for comment
ED RICHARDSON
EVEN THOUGH the port of Ngqura is not yet operational, Transnet is planning to extend its container facilities. A Draft Environmental Scoping Report on a proposed extension to the container berths and construction of the administration craft basin at the port of Ngqura has been released for public comment. According to the report, the requirement for the additional two berths on the container bay is “driven by the significant growth that continues to be experienced in the shipping and container industry”, which it adds has grown internationally from 244 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 1995 to an expected 445 million TEUs by 2010 and 570 million TEUs by 2015. “Rapid container volume growth has resulted in capacity shortfalls and increasing port congestion in South Africa. “The operation of the container terminal would reduce the current congestion at other South African container handling facilities.” Included in the Transnet business plan is the phased development of increasing capacity at the port of Ngqura from 400 000 TEUs by 2007 to a projected capacity of 1 250 000 TEUs by 2015/16.