THURSDAY, 10.30AM
TRANSPORT parastatal Transnet has approved a record R1,5-billion in capital expenditure for SA’s seven commecial sea ports in 1997/98.
SA’s ports have long suffered from limited funding for new construction. Portnet CE Ivor Funnell said on Wednesday the sharp increase of R1,44-billion in Portnet capital investment is largely the result of increased demand due to international markets opening to SA in the democratic era.
The 1997/98 capex budget compares to Portnet’s 1996/97 capex of R654-million, which was up from 1995/96’s figure of R185-million. Most of this was spent on upgrading port facilities.
Major projects planned for the coming year include extending the general cargo bay and construction of a dry-dock at Richard’s Bay; developing a car terminal at Cato Ridge, increasing the container terminal’s capacity and improving the Point city terminal in Durban, as well as improvement projects in Port Elizabeth, East London and Cape Town. Projects planned at Saldanha include additional dredging and reclaiming more land for port expansion, and construction of a new terminal to service the Saldanha Steel project. New ventures include the proposed industrial port at Coega, near Port Elizabeth.
As well as port upgrades, a nmuber of harbour tugs will receive midlife refits, new tugs will be acquired, and new navigations systems will be installed at all ports.