Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) recorded a milestone in its Durban and Richards Bay port expansion plans with the handover of a refurbished hangar to the South African Air Force at the Durban Air Force Base on Friday.
TNPA said in a statement that the handover made way for the parastatal’s KZN Logistics Hub programme that aims to expand the capacity of the Port of Durban and the Port of Richards Bay to grow export volumes, reduce congestion and make the ports globally competitive.
The programme is based on the two ports’ masterplans and includes 33 flagship projects with an estimated investment value of more than R140 billion. In order to implement these projects, portions of land, including property at the old Durban Airport site, have had to be acquired or freed up for precinct development to take place.
“It is for this reason the TNPA agreed to refurbish SAAF’s helicopter service hangar.
Refurbishment of the hangar included existing offices, stores, electrical and mechanical works, and the replacement of leaking roof sheets,” TNPA said.
“The SAAF has appreciated the impact that the developments at the Port of Durban will have, not only in so far as these will expand the ports and make them globally competitive, but also the ripple effect in altering the economic landscape of eThekwini, the province of KwaZulu Natal and South Africa.”
The refurbishment, which was project-managed by COEGA Development Corporation, created 49 direct jobs and cost R17 million.
TNPA estimates that the Durban Port Masterplan is expected to create 500 000 direct and indirect jobs over the next ten years.
“One of the objectives of the Durban Port Masterplan is to expand the container handling capacity from 2.9m to 11.4m Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) per annum. The almost 300% increase in capacity will alter the economic landscape, create jobs and represent a major revenue source for the country,” TNPA said.
