Dormac Marine’s R300-million investment in its Dormac Dock 1 floating dry dock will position the Dormac shipyard as a centre of excellence for the ship repair industry and serve as a stimulus for additional investment and docking opportunities in Durban, said Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies.

Speaking at a traditional maritime naming ceremony in Durban on Friday, he said that because the dry dock had “ticked all the boxes” when it came to increasing shipbuilding and repair capacity and job creation, government had provided R164-million worth of support. 

Government offered a Section 12i income tax incentive worth R159-million plus a R5-million training allowance in the hopes that this substantial investment would inspire further investment in ship repair and refurbishment facilities.

He said a second facility, aimed at repairing and maintaining oil rigs deployed along the East Coast, was likely to be built in future.

The “new generation” ferrochrome Dormac Dock 1 floating dry dock, which is the first of its kind in Africa, is moored alongside a purpose built 175 m quay. It is the first time in the history of the Port of Durban that a quay has been built by removing rather than reclaiming land.

The floating dry dock entered the Port of Durban in mid-July and was moved into position ahead of commissioning this month. Unlike most floating docks’ Mediterranean mooring perpendicular to a quay, the newly named Dormac Dock 1 sits alongside the new quay and is more stable.

“We are standing on a brand new 175-m-long, purpose-built deep-water quay that has been specifically designed for the attachment of our floating dock. This quay allows it to submerge to 12.3 m deep within a few meters of the quay. A purpose built ramp will also allow vehicles, people and equipment to be moved on and off the dock to enhance efficiency, Dormac MD Chris Sparg said.

The result of this quay wall construction is that Dormac now has a hard standing back of quay laydown area of 7 200 m². This area is suitable for offshore fabrications, conversions to ships, equipment laydown and, of course, support to the east coast oil and gas projects. 

Two new 7.5 t Gantz cranes, which are due for completion in November, will service the dock.

Dormac expects to add a further 45 dockings a year and has six already lined up for September.