The latest plans for the refurbishment of the berths at the Port of Durban’s Maydon Wharf have met with a serious challenge from port users and operators who told FTW they had “grave concerns” about the new programme. Maydon Wharf is the largest breakbulk and dry bulk handling precinct in the port – with a precinct covering 120 hectares of port land with 15 berths – and is home to a large number of privately leased terminal infrastructures. The commentators also accused Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) – the port’s landlord – of having moved too slowly on these plans. That they are now in a last-minute rush and allowing only two months’ notice before the refurbishment is due to begin. The problem is, not only have the berths more than outlived their designed lifespan, but they are now exceeding the safety margins. The quay walls were constructed over 65 years ago, and obviously have now well exceeded their 50-year design lifespan. According to a condition assessment study commissioned from consulting engineers PRDW, all the sheet pile quay walls in Maydon Wharf are not safe for operations due to the fact that this 50-year design life has been exceeded. And, according to the analysis, this indicates that critical structural members are under severe strain due to ongoing operations. “Continued use of these berths is beyond the acceptable safety norms,” Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) was told, “and, even under reduced loads, still poses a high risk of collapse. None of the berths can, therefore, be recommended for continued operations, which should be relocated to alternative facilities without delay.” Not only that, but Maydon Wharf berths are now incapable of taking the size of vessels that now call. Vessel sizes have increased over the years, whilst the berths have not been changed to align with these changes. The quay walls were designed to handle vessels of approximately 20 000 deadweight tonnes (DWT), not the 55 000 DWT currently calling. What this means in practical terms is that the bigger vessels calling in the precinct are now restricted by the berth draughts (both widths and depths). And, as a result, call half-laden. So, the TNPA decision was to reconstruct the berths. But, port users complained to FTW, this reconstruction programme has been left to the last minute, and the Maydon Wharf users are going to be penalised by this rush refurbishment. In the words of an executive of one of the major operators on the Wharf, there is no adequate contingency planning by TNPA. INSERT 65 The age of the quay walls.
