THE PORT of Cape Town is inviting proposals for the construction of a multi-million rand ship repair facility at the Elliot Basin in the Ben Schoeman Dock within the port. The National Ports Authority (NPA) will award a concession for the development and operation of the facility to a private consortium, at the conclusion of the tender process. According to Billy Cilliers, planning manager of the Port of Cape Town, present facilities, namely the Syncrolift, Robinson Dry Dock and Sturrock Dry Dock, regularly have to turn vessels away. Bookings are being made as far as eight months in advance.
