Saldanha denies ‘dirty and dangerous’ claim

THE PORT of Saldanha has
dismissed last week’s publicly
aired report that it’s one of
the world’s most dangerous
and most expensive ports.
“It’s safe for now and
engaged in a substantial
upgrade of all its operations,
given pressing future
demands,” Transnet National
Ports Authority manager
Eugene Kearns told FTW.
As the West Coast port
gears up to increase ore
exports from the present
30 million tons to 45 million
tons a year by 2010, Kearns
expects the number of calling
vessels to increase by 50%,
to around 20 a month, over
that period.
He is dismissive of last
week’s 'dangerous and
expensive' claim by Andro
Jacobs, operations manager
for Oil Pollution Control, a
state enterprise affiliated to
the Central Energy Fund, and
until recently the exclusive oil
pollution service provider to
the port.
Oil Pollution Control says
it withdrew its service after
Transnet failed to enter into
a service agreement, though
talks are in the offing to
remedy the situation.
Quizzed by FTW, Jacobs
stands absolutely by his claim
but has not furnished proof,
leading Kearns to conclude
that he is not prepared to
comment on that which
remains unsubstantiated.
“I don’t really know
what we are talking about
here. Is it dangerous from
a maritime, a navigational
point of view? From a safety
perspective, however, there is
no cause for concern.”
Jacobs, on the other hand,
insists: “Yes, it is a very
dangerous port because it
is open and the swell goes
right in, whereas others are
covered by a breakwater.”
Kearns makes clear even
if agreement is reached
with Oil Pollution Control,
Transnet is in the process of
sourcing a handful of similar
Western Cape companies to
provide additional backup.
“No single company
in South Africa, ourselves
included, would be able to
deal with a major oil spill at
Saldanha, and we wish to
reduce this risk by engaging
more companies.
“Saldanha is becoming
busier on all fronts and we
realise we should not be
reliant on a single service
provider.”
Jacobs rejects the
suggestion that Oil Pollution
Control, with equipment
valued at R180 million,
is unable to handle the
responsibility on its own. As
of now, the company has
no other involvement in any
South African port.
Last year, TNPA Saldanha
spent around R4 million
upgrading its vessel
traffic system (VTS), also
implementing an automatic
identification system, which
supplies immediate vessel
detail. Further upgrades of
absorbent and non-absorbent
pollution booms are also in
progress.
An environmental
monitoring committee
representing Langebaan
residents and ratepayers has
reported what it believes is a
lack of adequate contingency
planning on the part of the
ports authority.