Cape Town Harbour Expansion on Track

Cape Town Container Terminal’s R4.2 billion expansion programme is moving full steam ahead since commencing mid-January 2008, despite early delays from the strong ‘Cape Doctor’ wind which hampered the terminal’s productivity earlier this year.

Transnet Port Terminals Business Unit Executive Oscar Borchards said subcontractors at the country’s second largest container terminal were working hard to meet the port operator’s forecast capacity improvement from 740,000 TEUs to 1,4 million TEUs by the end of 2012.

“We are currently blasting hard rock and initial earthworks are in progress. Danish subcontractor, Rohde Nielsen, has also completed soft dredging works at berth 601 as part of the move to enable larger vessels to pass through the harbour,” said Borchards.

The key aspects of the project are:

Construction of a deeper terminal with new quay wall suitable for Super Post Panamax cranes

Replacement of the old ship to shore cranes with Super Post Panamax cranes with twin lift capability

Increasing stack capacity by moving from straddle carriers to a Rubber Tyred Gantry crane (RTG) operation

A crane erection site will be assembled at the terminal during 2008. This site will be used for the delivery and assembly of two new Liebherr ship-to-shore cranes scheduled to arrive in June 2008. A total of eight new ship-to-shore cranes will replace the current fleet of four Demag and two Noell cranes at the terminal, with half of the new Liebherr fleet expected to be in place by December 2008.

Before the end of 2008, the terminal marshalling yard would also be converted to a staging area.

The deepening of the first berth, 601, is expected to be completed in February 2009. It will swing into operation at its new depth of 15.5m and will be served by the first four Liebherr ship-to-shore cranes.

The remaining berths 602 to 604, together with the Ben Schoeman Basin, would also be deepened to 15.5m. These works will be carried out in sections throughout the five-year programme by a consortium comprising Southern African construction firm WHBO and locally based Civil and Coastal. This staggered approach would ensure that overall terminal productivity would be maintained during the construction programme.

“We are slowly but steadily transforming the container terminal into a modern four berth facility that is able to cater for larger new-generation vessels, which require more water and upgraded quay facilities,” said Borchards.

A major aspect of the expansion programme is the move from straddle carriers to an RTG operation. The cranes will be a huge first for the Western Cape, given that Pier 1 in Durban is the only other terminal to boast these world class cranes. The RTG contract is due to be awarded in June 2008 and the delivery of the first RTGs is expected to commence mid 2009.

By the end of the expansion programme in 2012 the Cape Town Container Terminal will boast no less than 32 RTGs with ergonomic features to enhance operators’ comfort and productivity, including an air-conditioned driver’s cabin at the top of the crane.

The cranes will span five containers and a roadway and are capable of stacking five high. They will be supplied with a Global Positioning System (GPS) which will update the operating system as each container is stacked in its specific location.

A team of trainers, already trained by Sri Lankan experts at Pier 1 in Durban, will be tasked with passing on their skills and knowledge to lifting equipment operators at the Cape Town Container Terminal. Once the first RTGs arrive next year, they will be used to offer further operator training within the terminal environment.

In its entirety, the Cape Town Container Terminal expansion project includes the demolition of nonessential infrastructure and buildings, reconfiguration of the terminal to maximise stack capacity, a reefer-point expansion programme and extension of the quayline by 10 metres to accommodate the new gantry cranes.

Borchards said Transnet Port Terminals was currently diverting container vessels with their own ships’ gear to Cape Town’s Multipurpose Terminal to maintain productivity. In addition two additional berths, berth 502 and 700, are being used to cater for vessels with their own ships’ gear.

The five-year construction programme is an element of parent company Transnet Ltd’s R28 billion investment into port-related projects, from an overall R78 billion planned for investment over the next five years to decrease mounting pressure on the country’s port system.

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