New generation ships pose pricy problem for CT

Deeper berths and more powerful tugs called for Ray Smuts PROGRESS COSTS and the Port of Cape Town is going to have to dig deep into its pockets to effect the necessary improvements to remain truly competitive in the years ahead. The Mother City's amiable port captain Eddie Bremner has a saying that problems do not arise within the port as they are resolved before they present themselves; even so the issue of larger, Ônew generation', container ships is obviously something that cannot be wished away. National Ports Authority and Operations have already been briefed by Captain Tony Nicholas, Safmarine's general manager for trade operations, with regard to the kind of upgrade necessary in order to cope with vessels of 4 000 TEUs or more. "These big ships of up to 6 600TEUs (more than twice the size of Safmarine's so-called ÔBig Whites') are becoming an international trend provided the ports can handle them," says Nicholas. In conversation with this correspondent in his lofty eyrie with its splendid views of the harbour, Bremner said in order to accommodate the larger ships it would be necessary to increase the depth of the container terminal from 14m to 15,5m. Whether all four berths will be deepened has yet to be decided but port engineer Derek Visser estimates the cost of such a project, if approved, to be around R80 million. "If one looks at ports around the world they are all around 14,5m deep which means they will all have to decide to increase by 1 to 1,5m and we will also have to make such a decision. We need to keep our shipping." Larger ships mean more powerful tugs and Bremner believes two new tugs with a 60-ton bollard capacity will be required. Cost at the present time is around R60 million apiece but it follows that much like the controversial arms procurement deal, eventual cost will be signicantly higher three or four years down the line. The port's four tugs, Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Pinotage, have a 40-ton bollard pull and although more than 20 years old have all had a mid-life refit. In addition to the tugs, the port has two pilot boats and three launches and the latter, used for handling smaller craft like trawlers, are likely to be replaced during the coming financial year. In order to avoid possible snarl-ups when up to three tugs may be required to handle an oil rig or VLCC, Bremner has been talking to his Saldanha colleagues with a view to utilising one of their tugs. "That way we will be able to keep container traffic flowing when our tugs are under pressure." (Cape Town loans one of its tugs to Saldanha when deep-draught ore ships are due).