Ngqura invests in operational centre

In development are the port’s state-of-the-art administration building and an administration craft basin for pilot boats and tugboats, including office facilities for operational staff.

Also included in TNPA’s latest $469m investment – part of the Transnet’s Market Demand Strategy – is Cavotec’s vacuum based automated mooring technology pioneered at Ngqura last year.

Ngqura port manager, Mpumi Dweba, said: “Such endeavours support the tremendous growth of the Port of Ngqura and match its profile as a world-class container hub, which is encouraging significant investment in the region.

“They are designed to improve port efficiency at our port and are boosting the economy of the Eastern Cape in the short term by creating additional jobs,” she added.

Construction of the $171m administration building, which will be one of the premier environmentally-friendly buildings in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, is well underway with completion targeted for the end of this year. With capacity to house 205 staff it will cater for Ngqura’s growing human resources as the port continues to create jobs within the region to support its ongoing expansion.

To date Ngqura has operated without an administration craft basin for the docking of marine craft such as pilot boats and tugboats, as well as various vessels belonging to SAPS and SANPARKS. The new $242m administration craft basin located at the root of the eastern breakwater in the port basin will facilitate this process safely in line with Ngqura’s growing fleet of craft.

Speaking of the benefit to the local community, Ms Dweba said: “Specifically during the construction phase of the admin building and admin craft basin we have so far created 154 jobs at a cost of over R18 million – all of which goes into the Eastern Cape economy. Forty eight of these jobs have been created for Black youth, while 285 Eastern Cape employees are also benefiting from skills development programmes associated with these projects.

“In addition, 16 small businesses in the Eastern Cape have been engaged to provide materials, equipment and services at a cost of R4.36 million – a further injection into the local economy,” she concluded.