Faced with one of the most challenging projects out of the more than 100 similar port developments it has carried out in over 90 countries, the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHC) called in expertise from around the world to upgrade the Port of Walvis Bay. That’s according to CHC vice president Li Yi. “Here, for the first time we were faced with the rarest diatomaceous soil in the world – a soil so soft its particle size is less than 1mm. “However, with an international team of over 100 experts from 30 countries we were able to overcome this great challenge. He added that they “were further faced with the challenge of hydrogen sulphide gas been released from the ocean floor during the dredging process. “Once again, we pulled our worldwide resources and experience to manage this situation to globally acceptable standards, in collaboration with our client Namport.” From an aqua-cultural and, more specifically environmental safety point of view, Yi added the official inauguration ceremony of the Walvis Bay Container Terminal: “I am happy to report that the oyster farm which is close to the construction site is not affected by our operations, as some had feared.”
