The conversion of De Beers Marine Namibia’s diamond mining vessel, Debmar Atlantic was completed recently, allowing for a 30% increase in the vessel’s mining capacity.

This Namibian $338-million conversion project was being undertaken and managed jointly by De Beers Marine and Cape Town-based engineering firm PBA Projects.

De Beers Marine SA was appointed by De Beers Marine Namibia to manage and implement the entire project.

In an exclusive interview with Mining Weekly, PBA Projects director André du Toit explains that they were awarded this contract in 2005, based largely on the fact that the company has an organisation-to-organisation partnering relationship with De Beers Marine and is one of the diamond miner’s preferred partners for marine projects of this nature.

“After a six-month feasibility study was completed, the project was approved in November 2005,  at which point the detailed design and engineering was initiated,” states Du Toit.

The design and engineering process took 15 months to complete owing to the complex engineering and detailing required to meet the project timeline.

“Due to the fact that the vessel would be out of commission for approximately three months, while being converted in the dry dock, it was essential to ensure an exact time schedule for this phase of the project as delays result in significant losses to the company,” elaborates Du Toit.

Although the Debmar Atlantic is a Namibian vessel, the conversion was undertaken in Cape Town
because of the large dry dock facilities, which are currently not available in Namibia.

Du Toit states that the conversion project consisted of an upgrade to the mining system, the installation of a new treatment plant and the replacement of two new power generating engines on the vessel.

The upgraded mining system was built in Germany by Germany-based engineering firm Wirth, which is the original-equipment manufacturer of this mining system.

“The treatment plant has been built in modules, which makes it easier to assemble on the vessel.”

This particular treatment plant is expected to enable a 30% improvement in the vessel’s production rate, continues Du Toit.

The upgraded power generation facility being installed on the vessel, designed by British engineering company Armstrong Technologies, is required owing to the increased energy demand of the new treatment plant.

In order to accommodate the larger treatment plant and power plant, the vessel is being widened with sponsons on either side.

Du Toit adds that, despite the fact that the conversion of the vessel was completed early this month, the vessel will only be fully commissioned by the end of May.

Once the Debmar Atlantic has been commissioned, it will resume its mining activities in the Atlantic One mining area off the southern area of the Namibian coastline.

In addition to this project, PBA Project director Martin Burger states that the company is currently under way with a prefeasibility study for a similar upgrade for another De Beers Marine Namibia mining vessel, the !Gariep.

Burger states that approximately 90% of the company’s work is done for De Beers Marine Namibia and De Beers Consolidated Mines, which operates in South Africa.

The company was originally established in Cape Town in order to fill a vacuum that existed in the area of marine process and mining engineering and project management.