One year on and Ngqura is pumping

Early Ngqura port adopters
MOL and MSC are
experiencing such a growth
in volumes through the port
that Transnet Port Terminals
will have difficulty
accommodating additional
lines until the berths have
been extended, according
to acting Transnet Port
Terminals (TPT) CEO Karl
Socikwa.
Speaking at an event
at Ngqura hosted by TPT
to celebrate the first year
of operation of the port,
Socikwa said the port would
have moved 409 000 TEUs
in its second year, after
handling 288 000 in the
first full financial year of
operations.
This means Ngqura will
have reached half the
800 000 TEU capacity of the
first phase of the container
terminal in the first full
financial year of operation.
Capacity has been
increased by adding a sixth
“gang” to operate the six
gantries, ensuring that three
cranes will be able to work
on a vessel at a time round
the clock.
Productivity is also rising,
with the port averaging 25
moves an hour (target 28),
and 39 per ship working
hour (SWH), which is
expected to increase to 60
SWH with the additional
staff on board.
Dredging will start soon to
dig the first 100 metres of the
third and fourth berths down
to 15.5 metres in order to
accommodate two 305-metre
vessels. At present, the port
can only handle a 305 metre
and 275 metre vessel at the
same time.
Nosipho Damasane, TPT
chief operating officer, said
other shipping lines had
started showing interest now
that the port had proven
itself.
However, the existing
users have plans that will
absorb most of the additional
capacity when the extension
starts operating in the
middle of next year.
“MSC is talking about an
8 000 TEU vessel for the
first time in South Africa,”
said Damasane.
Arthur Waters, head of
MSC in the Eastern Cape,
confirmed that the line
was planning to increase
volumes through the port of
Ngqura.
MOL’s John Lawlor says
the company is planning to
bring in bigger vessels and
grow its volumes as well. At
present, MSC is responsible
for the bulk of the traffic,
having put 200 000
containers through the port
in the first year, according
to Waters.
“We will very quickly
be talking about a four
berth operation,” predicted
Socikwa.
The quay wall for the
additional two berths has
been completed, and a large
area paved.
The harbour next
to the wall now needs
to be dredged and top
structure added to make
the additional quays
operational.
The additional investment
will increase the port
capacity from 800 000
TEUs a year to two million
a year.
While not wanting to
be committed to dates for
the next phase, Damasane
said it was probable that
the whole berth would be
dredged at the same time as
the first 100 metres.
“We will look at the
numbers to see when
the berths should be
operational, and I think
it will be far earlier than