Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the concrete works aspect of a construction project to deepen and strengthen the Port of East London’s N-Berth.
TNPA said in a statement on Friday that the project formed part of its plans to accommodate larger, new-generation vessels, reduce delays and increase the port’s automotive throughput volume.
“TNPA is calling on interested parties to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued for the concrete works package of the project,” TNPA said.
Located on the West Quay of the port’s automotive terminal, the N-Berth length of 300 metres is sufficient to accommodate modern car carriers, however, the current depth of -8.5 Chart datum (CD) remains a limitation.
“This project is in line with the port’s growth strategy objectives to refurbish and develop our port infrastructure. As the home to Mercedes-Benz South Africa, we are intentional about continuously providing outstanding service and infrastructure that is fit for purpose.” said Sphiwe Mthembu, TNPA port manager at the Port of East London.
The West Quay comprises the R-berth, R-extension and N-berth. It has a gravity-quay wall that was built in the early 19th century. In 2005, R-berth and R-extension were refurbished, resulting in a combined berth length of 250m and depth of -10.5m (CD). The concrete works package will address the inconsistency in berth depth and length, to ensure that the three berths along the West Quay are -10.5m (CD) in depth, with a total length of 550m.
This will allow the port to simultaneously berth two car carriers along the West Quay. The concrete works package, which is package 1 of the project, will be executed over 12 months. The second package to be executed will be the dredging works, which will be undertaken by TNPA’s Dredging Services.
RFP documents can be accessed from the following:
• National Treasury’s e-tender portal: www.etender.gov.za
• Transnet website: https://transnetetenders.azurewebsites.net
