South Africa’s smallest commercial port has dispelled criticism that it may not be ready to answer the call for capacity necessitated by the recent discovery of vast amounts of gas condensate about 175 kilometres south of Mossel Bay.
Underscoring Transnet National Port Authority’s (TNPA) sentiment that the port is “well equipped to provide value following global energy giant Total’s significant discovery”, Mossel Bay port manager Shadrack Tshikalanga said general harbour readiness was not in question.
In a statement TNPA itself said “the port’s role in the drilling expedition involved providing land and quay space for the logistics base operations, as well as marine services such as piloting, berthing, craft services and vessel and traffic control, to the vessels involved in the exercise”.
Tshikalanga added that “the oil rig Deepsea Stavanger operated off this coastline and a number of vessels for the emerging oil industry called at Mossel Bay”.
Some of these included the supply vessels Bourbon Diamond, Pacific Dragon, Far Starling and Normand Ranger.
Tshikalanga emphasised that the vessels made regular use of berths at Mossel Bay port.
TNPA furthermore stressed that the country’s only north-facing harbour was the only South African port that operated two off-shore mooring points within port limits.
“It is also home to one of only a few gas-to-liquid refineries around the world, making it perfect for Total’s gas condensate drilling at the so-called Brulpadda prospecting site in an area called the Outeniqua Basin.”
– Eugene Goddard
