Business wants new terminal on central sandbank, but enviro groups dismiss the option out of hand By Terry Hutson BATTLE LINES are once again drawn between environmental groups and business interests after last week's final public meeting called to debate recommendations on where and how Portnet should develop container handling facilities at the Port of Durban resulted in stalemate and no consensus.
The Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) study has been in motion for more than a year, with active participation by various interested public and private sector bodies. A short-list of seven possible development areas had earlier been identified, and the August 14 meeting had intended to further reduce these to two or three. However agreement could only be reached on eliminating the Point/City Terminal area from the list.
Strong argument was heard between various business and port interests who favour building a large new terminal on the central sandbank, and the environmental and ratepayer groups who dismiss this option totally out of hand.
There was however strong support towards consolidating port activities towards the south of the harbour. One of the preferred recommendations calls for the removal of Spoornet marshalling yards at Bayhead allowing the bay to be enlarged, with a net gain of water area and the possibility of even further expansion.
This proposal would allow for up to 1,6 million extra teus to be handled at this site, whereas the sandbank idea would only allow 600 000 extra teus per annum.
The next stage of this exhaustive process is the establishment of a local advisory committee representing all interested bodies. The LAC will meet in October and then submit final recommendations to the Transnet Board.
From there the matter goes to the Minister of Public Enterprises for final decision.
