Princess Elizabeth Dry Dock set for seven-week shutdown for upgrades
State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) on Monday confirmed that the Port of East London’s Princess Elizabeth Dry Dock will be out of commission for seven weeks, from October 14 to December 3, in order for upgrades to be implemented.
TNPA has invested R57-million towards two upgrade projects at the dry dock to support the sustainability of the region’s ship repair and boat building capability.
The R10.6-million refurbishment of the dry dock’s main shutoff valves, which flood and empty the dock of water, was complete at the end of June and has already significantly reduced the time required to flood the dock and showed improved efficiency.
East London port manager Sharon Sijako stated that site works for the R47-million caisson repair project will start in October and are expected to be completed by December.
The caisson is a large steel gate structure that closes the dock off from the sea water, allowing for the docking and repair of vessels inside the facility. Its proper functioning is essential, because the dry dock is an important revenue-generating asset that stimulates local economic activity through ship repair.
TNPA’s caisson refurbishment will rectify corrosion and leaks on the existing caisson, reducing potential safety and operational risks, decreasing electricity consumption and operating costs, and increasing overall operational efficiency at the facility.
Other work already completed at the East London dry dock has included the replacement of electrical switch gears, crane rails, capstans, compressors and the fire protection booster pump.
“TNPA is investing significantly to restore existing ship repair facilities with the intention of stimulating the repair sector and creating much needed jobs,” said the TNPA.
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