Artist impression of the proposed deep-water port at Boegoebaai
The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has released details of the companies participating in the three consortia shortlisted to participate in an upcoming bidding process to design, fund and construct a greenfield deep-water port at Boegoebaai in the Northern Cape, as well as rail infrastructure linking the port to mines in the province.
The three consortia were named in late July as being the Boegoebaai Port & Rail Consortium, the Boegoebaai Development Consortium and the Project Elephant Consortium.
TNPA has subsequently confirmed with Engineering News that the participants in each consortium include:
- Port of Rotterdam, A.P Moller and Capital, Nako Systra, Nako Iliso, CPRDW-Consulting Port and Coastal Engineers, WBHO, Thelo and DB Scheneker in the Boegoebaai Port & Rail Consortium;
- Meridiam SAS; Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Managers; Bouygues TP; Vinci Construction, Raubex Group, Coega Development Corporation, Afrimat Limited, WSP Consulting Engineers and Gibb Consulting Engineers in the Boegoebaai Development Consortium; and
- The Newlyn Group’s Briardale Trading, Afcon Infrastructure Limited, Yapi Merkezi Insaat ve Sanayi Anonim Sirketi, Mota-Engil and Traxtion Sheltam in the Project Elephant Consortium.
Boegoebaai is located some 20 km south of Alexander Bay, close to the Namibian border, and should the port and rail infrastructure be developed it will provide another export channel for mined commodities such as manganese.
The port has also been earmarked as a possible outlet for the export of green-hydrogen derivatives such as green ammonia.
TNPA has confirmed that a request for proposals will be issued to the qualifying consortia but has not yet confirmed a release date for the tender.