Transnet plans to
transform the current
fuel and manganese bulk
berths in the port of Port
Elizabeth into a vehicle
hub terminal, according to
Rajesh Dana, manager of
the port of Port Elizabeth.
“We want Port Elizabeth
to become the preferred
automotive hub in Africa,”
he told FTW.
Moving the vehicles
from their current position
on the container berth on
the Charl Malan Quay
will free up space for the
expansion of the container
terminal in the port to
three berths. It will be
dredged to a depth of 14.5
metres.
Dana says the Transnet
National Ports Authority
sees Port Elizabeth
continuing to operate
in tandem.
Around R1.9 billion will
be invested in the Port of
Port Elizabeth over the
next seven years.
Capital expenditure
includes the acquisition of
new 270-ton bollard pull
tugs, a new pilot boat, the
upgrading of the electrical
network, replacement
of the radar and TTS
systems, replacement of
the lead-in slipways jetty,
the demolition of sheds 10
and 11, and the expansion
and deepening of the
container berth.
Number 2 quay will be
retained for break bulk
operations, ship repair and
lay-byes, and a special
facility for cruise liners
will be built.
Additional berth
capacity and ship repair
facilities will also be
created for the shipping
industry.
Planned for 2016/2017 is
the establishment of a port
logistics park.
“We will be
transforming the port into
a well-organised logistics
park,” he says.
The catalyst for the
transformation will be the
moving of the manganese
and bulk liquids terminals
to the port of Ngqura.
It is expected that the
movement of the terminals
and rehabilitation of the
land will be completed in
2019.
The tank farm will be
decommissioned in the
first quarter of 2016, and
the manganese terminal in
the second quarter of 2017.
It will take 21 months
to fully decommission the
manganese terminal.
The breakbulk terminal
will move to Number 2
quay, which will have a
total of four berths.
Leisure activities
in the port will be
accommodated in the
current yacht club and
fishing industry area.
Dana says Transnet
is looking at ways of
isolating this section
in order to allow easier
access by the public.
CAPTION 1
The current Port Elizabeth car terminal that will be freed up to cater for expected growth in container traffic.
CAPTION 2
The manganese ore terminal and tank farm that will make way for a car terminal.
