The motivation behind the upgrade is strategic: because vessel sizes have increased considerably, berths 203 to 205 cannot safely accommodate the new generation of fully laden container vessels. At present, the vessels employ a strategy of entering and exiting the port partly laden and at high tide – a process which Transnet says is unsafe.
Further, the existing quay wall is outdated – it was designed back in the 1970s to support dockside cranes with a lifting capacity of 4 tonnes. So, the quay walls are currently operating beyond original design limitations.
The proposed upgrade includes the deepening, lengthening and widening of the berths to improve safety and increase the efficiency of the port – a project set to last six years.
But it may not be a smooth process for TNPA – a six year project is likely to cause some disruption for users – not good news for the port’s container operations which have been criticised in the past.