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.
