Name of the Project
Durban port upgrade and expansion project.

Location
The project is located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Client
The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), divisions of freight logistics company Transnet.

Project Description
The Durban Container Terminal (DCT) is the biggest and busiest in the southern hemisphere and currently handles 64% of the country’s seaborne container traffic.

Transnet is implementing an ambitious expansion project at the Durban port and its container terminals, comprising several individual work packages, to increase the DCT’s container-handling capacity.

The main projects include the expansion of the DCT Pier 1, which aims to increase the capacity of the terminal to 2.4-million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This includes the Salisbury Island project, also known as the Pier 1 Phase 2 Infill project.

The TNPA also plans to deepen berths 203 to 205 at DCT, which could raise the capacity of Pier 2 from 2.4-million TEUs to 2.9-million TEUs.

The berths will be deepened from 12.8 m to 16.5 m and lengthened from 914 m to 1 210 m to enable DCT to handle three 350 m vessels simultaneously. Construction is expected to begin in 2017 and be completed in 2022.

The projects are expected to increase the DCT’s capacity from 3.6-million TEUs to about 5.3-million TEUs.

Container capacity is also being created at other terminals, such as the Durban Ro-Ro and Maydon Wharf terminals, through the acquisition of new equipment, including mobile cranes and various infrastructure upgrades.

Transnet is further proposing the phased development of the so-called Durban Dig-Out Port (DDOP) on the old Durban International Airport (DIA) site, among other projects.

Jobs to be Created
Not stated.

Value
The project forms part of Transnet’s  larger R340-billion to R380-billion ten-year rolling market demand strategy (MDS).

Funding for the new dig-out port at the DIA has not been included in the strategy.

Duration
Ongoing.

Latest Developments
Fourteen Terberg haulers, valued at R23.4-million, have entered operations at Pier 1 at TPT’s DCT.

The Terberg haulers, which have replaced 14 old Mafi haulers, were acquired as part of TPT’s hauler replacement project. The project, which is scheduled for completion in 2019, will result in the acquisition of a further 30 haulers in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years.

TPT KwaZulu-Natal container operations GM Brenda Magqwaka says the new haulers will improve the availability and equipment reliability at the terminal.

“The increased reliability will correlate to fewer breakdowns resulting in minimal interruptions to operations. The terminal will also be able to operate six gangs without equipment shortages,” she notes.

The newly designed seat of the haulers has a host of features, adjustments and lumbar support to improve ergonomics, as well as a built-in sensor that cuts off the engine when the operator has left the seat for more than five minutes.

The new haulers also have door sensors linked to the air conditioner that switches off when the door is opened.

The machines are equipped with the Mercedes OM906LA Tier 3 engine, which meets the Euromot 3A specifications with regard to emissions.

TPT has committed R385-million to upgrading and improving equipment and facilities at DCT’s Pier 1, which is in line with the company’s strategy to create capacity ahead of demand, and improve productivity and operational efficiencies, with an additional R260-million earmarked for further upgrades in  2016 and 2017.

DCT is also embarking on the phased refurbishment of 18 rubber-tyred gantry cranes at Pier 1, which will begin in January 2017.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Protekon Consulting & Construction; CPS; IMPSA-Jikelele joint venture (JV); Kalmar African National Engineering, or ANE, JV; Hydroflow and Liebherr Cranes (Germany); Grinaker-LTA, Interbeton and Bafokeng Bateman Services (Bafokeng Civil Works and Bateman Materials Handling) JV; DSE and Dorbyl (subcontractors steelwork fabrication); La Spezia Container Terminal, Italy (three Liebherr cranes); Kalmar (straddle carriers); DSE (manufacture of structural components, and the erection and installation of mechanical and electrical work); Protekon (planning and designing the infrastructure for the installation of the Liebherr cranes at the south terminal); Protekon Construction (two new berths for Island View terminal); Dura Piling (piling contract – Island View); Basil Read (main contractor – Pier 1, civil and paving works – DCT); Chryso South Africa (concrete products – hard standing area, Pier 1); Lafarge Readymix (design and supply of concrete – hard standing area, Pier 1); Natal Portland Cement, or NPC (cement – Pier 1); Kalmar Industries (30 straddle carriers); TBA (review, analysis and simulation of DCT’s container-handling operations); Sarens Group (crawler crane); the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (loan finance); Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Company (rail-mounted gantry cranes); Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co, or  ZPMC (design, manufacture, delivery and commissioning of cranes); Dredging International and Group Five (port-widening project); C3 Shared Services (codesign of security solution at Pier 1); Mott MacDonald, in JV with Hatch and Goba (widening of Durban harbour entrance and construction of Pier 1 container terminal); Blue IQ (financial coordinator for proposed container terminal at the old DIA site); Liebherr (design, fabrication, delivery, erection, testing and commissioning of the cranes); Stefanutti Stocks AXSYS JV (Mayden Wharf – main contractor) and Aveng Grinaker-LTA (electrical installation of nine harbour tugs).

On Budget and on Time?
The project is on schedule and within budget.

Contact Details for Project Information
ANE Durban head office, tel +27 31 579 3301, fax +27 31 579 3323 or email aned@mweb.co.za.
Basil Read, tel +27 11 418 6375 or fax +27 11 418 6334.
Bateman, tel +27 11 899 9111 or email pgm@batemanbv.com.
Chryso South Africa, tel +27 11 395 9700 or fax +27 11 397 6644.
Dorbyl, tel +27 41 408 6009, fax +27 41 408 6035 or email dorbyl@guestroauto.com.
Dredging International, tel +32 3 250 52 11, fax +32 3 250 56 50 or email dredging@dredging.com.
DSE, tel +27 11 871 4111 or fax +27 11 871 4141.
Grinaker-LTA, tel +27 11 578 6000, fax +27 11 578 6161 or email enquiry@grinaker-lta.co.za.
Group Five, tel +27 11 806 0111, fax +27 11 803 5520 or email info@g5.co.za.
Kalmar Industries, tel +27 31 327 1800 or fax +27 31 327 1811.
Lafarge Readymix, tel +27 31 275 7400.
NPC, tel +27 31 450 4411 or fax +27 31 451 9010.
Sarens Group, Hendrik Sarens, tel +32 52 319 397 or email hendrik.sarens@sarens.com.
TPT, tel + 27 31 308 8000 or fax +27 31 308 8084.
ZPMC, tel + 86 21 58396666, fax +86 21 58399555 or email mail@zpmc.com.
Aveng Grinaker-LTA, tel +27 31 710 6100.