South Africa’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply received a major boost last week in the shape of four large tanks capable of storing 5 650 tonnes of LPG each. The “bullets”, so-called because of their shape and definitely not because of their size, arrived at the Port of Richards Bay on a special Chinese ‘flat-deck’ vessel with a carriage width of 20 metres. Speaking after the Xin Lu had off-loaded its massive R1 billion cargo, port manager Thami Sithole said: “The arrival of these bullets is an exciting milestone, not only for Richards Bay but also for the future of LPG supply in South Africa.” Sithole said they would significantly boost capacity at the terminal, allowing for an increase in cost-effectively and reliably supplying LPG for use mainly in Gauteng, the Free State and North West. Prior to the arrival of the bullets, LPG storage capacity at the port was constrained, often causing a delay in turnaround time for vessels. Nozipho Mdawe, acting CEO of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), recently said: “The liquid fuels sector is crucial to the South African economy, with 17% of the country’s imports being crude oil and petroleum products.”
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