Mining group Kumba Resources on Wednesday announced that iron ore exports at Saldanha Bay had been halted following a breakdown of a ship loader operated by the South African Port Operations (Sapo).
Investigations and repairs by Sapo and the contractor are under way and indications are that the ship loader, which was commissioned in July 2004, will resume operations by the weekend, Kumba said in a statement.
“The breakdown will delay Kumba’s iron ore export programme but trains from our Sishen mine remain fully operational and will continue to feed the Saldanha Bay stockpiles until the ship loader is back in operation. We will endeavour to fulfill our overseas contractual commitments for the 2005/06 iron ore year,” general manager of Kumba’s iron ore division Matie von Wielligh said. – I-Net Bridge