Port of Richards Bay
The Vopak Terminal Durban & Transnet Pipelines joint venture (JV), selected recently as the preferred bidder for a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Richards Bay, has issued an expression of interest (EOI) to test market appetite for booking capacity at the so-called Zululand Energy Terminal.
In January, State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) announced the selection of the JV to design, develop, construct, finance, operate and maintain the LNG terminal for a period of 25 years.
The project is scheduled to enter commercial operation during 2027, and be developed in two phases, with Phase 1 involving a floating storage unit (FSU) of at least 135 000 m³ and an onshore regasification system with an indicative capacity of two-million tons a year.
Phase 2 is currently planned for an onshore LNG tank with an indicative capacity of 200 000 m³, which would potentially replace the FSU, as well as additional regasification capacity to increase the total capacity up to five-million tons a year, possibly by 2030.
In their EOI, Vopak Terminal Durban & Transnet Pipelines state that the proposed terminal will provide LNG receiving, storage, marine bunkering, truck loading, regasification and gas transmission pipeline services to customers on a long-term basis.
The closing date for responses is 17:00 on April 12, with initial feedback to be provided by May 10.