MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS and additions are to be made to South African harbours in a record capital budget of R1,44 billion which Transnet has approved.
The big increase - Portnet capital expenditure was R654 million for 1996/7 - is targeted to meet increased demand in harbour operations following the opening up of international markets to and from this country in recent years.
Richards Bay, Durban and Saldanha Bay figure at the top of the expenditure list with large projects either underway or in the planning stages.
Richards Bay is to get a drydock facility, a coal export terminal and have extensions made to the general cargo bay.
The dedicated car terminal and major improvements in the container terminal's capacity head the Durban undertakings, while the construction of a terminal to accommodate the Saldanha Steel project and additional dredging are underway at Saldanha Bay.
Cape Town is to get an additional 400 reefer points at the container terminal, while the Duncan Dock cold storage is to be expanded and the combi terminal is to be both expanded and upgraded.
Lesser work is planned for Port Elizabeth and East London, though both harbours are under survey at present for major schemes not included in the Transnet budget. Port Elizabeth is awaiting developments on the planned Coega scheme, while East London has the proposed Orient Beach extension to its harbour in discussion.
In addition to existing harbour developments, a number of tugs will undergo refits at various ports, several tugs and workboats are to be bought and new navigation systems are to be installed at all ports, with Cape Town and Saldanha regarded as urgent in this respect.
See pages 18 and 19 for further details.
