Yesterday saw the ceremonial signing in Port Elizabeth of an agreement struck by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) which will see Oiltanking Grindrod Calulo Holdings plan, fund, construct, maintain and operate a new liquid bulk handling facility at the Port of Ngqura.
This Build, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) agreement was concluded in December 2016 after an open tender process.
The concept engineering design as well as the topographical and geotechnical survey has been completed and construction is due to commence in the 4th quarter of 2017, with commissioning planned for the third quarter of 2019.
Phase 1 of the liquid bulk facility will provide approximately 150 000 cbm of storage capacity for refined petroleum products and will replace the tanks currently in use in the Port of Port Elizabeth, which will be decommissioned and the land redeveloped. This is in line with Port Elizabeth’s plans to clean up the terminal facilities and develop the commercial and tourism sectors.
Future phases will provide for an additional 550 000 cbm of storage capacity and handling. The new modern facility will service the oil majors, new entrants into the South African oil industry as well as international traders - all supporting the local shipping industry.
Oiltanking Grindrod Calulo, a majority South African-owned level 1 BBBEE company, is an independent bulk liquid storage provider in South Africa.
Richard Vallihu, chief executive of TNPA, said: “This milestone signals progress in our plans to free up port land for future expansion at the Port of Port Elizabeth, and will in the near future lead to our decommissioning of the Port Elizabeth tank farm and rehabilitation of the site once the Ngqura facility becomes operational.”
