Name and Location
Offshore Supply Base (OSSB) project, Western Cape, South Africa.

Client
Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA), working together with strategic partners including the South African government, the Southern African Oil & Gas Alliance and the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) Licensing Company.

Project Description
The OSSB, to be established at the Port of Saldanha’s general maintenance quay, is one of three priority projects earmarked for the port under the South African government’s Operation Phakisa initiative.

The facility will be the country’s first dedicated and customised facility supporting offshore oil and gas activities along the West and East coasts of Africa, calling at South African ports for support and logistics services.

Construction work will include infilling the 80 m gap between the existing two quays, refurbishing one portion of the quay and lengthening the quay by 20 m on either side to create a total quay length of 294 m. Minor dredging works will provide a depth of 8 m alongside the overall length of the quay.

The facility will provide a base for receiving equipment and waste from offshore exploration and production activities and provide facilities for loading and shipping of equipment, stores, goods, bunkers and drilling fluids.

Besides the OSSB, Operation Phakisa will also establish a rig repair facility at the Port of Saldanha’s Berth 205. It will be 380 m long and 21 m deep, which can accommodate two rigs simultaneously.

A new 500 m jetty in the vicinity of the port’s Mossgas quay will also be built – it will be 8.5 m deep and have 12 m pockets to accommodate floating docks for vessel building, repairs and maintenance.

TNPA intends to use a build, operate and transfer model in establishing these facilities. In terms of the oilrig repair facility at Berth 205 and the Mossgas finger jetty, the successful bidder will be responsible for dredging works and the wet and dry infrastructure development.

All three projects will complement the 330 ha Saldanha Bay IDZ, which is expected to start construction in August 2015.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
TNPA expects to have all three projects completed within two to three years.

Latest Developments
Appointed contractor Basil Read started preparatory site establishment activities in April 2015.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Basil Read (construction contractor).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
TNPA – Port of Saldanha corporate affairs manager Bukiwe Gomo, cell +27 83 264 9501 or
email Bukiwe.Gomo@transnet.net.
Basil Read, tel +27 11 418 6300 or fax +27 11 418 6333.