Ngqura construction takes shape

Sixty operators started in January 2009, while two operations managers and an electrical engineer have also been appointed, and eleven expert planners were due to start work in February.

June 2009 will see the handover of the first two of four berths as Phase 1A of the project comes to a close. The remaining two are expected to be handed over at the end of Phase 1B together with the road and inland rail networks in September 2011.

Said Transnet Port Terminals’ chief of operations, Solly Letsoalo: “With growing pressure on the container sector and projections that demand for containerised cargo will double over the next eight years, Transnet has invested in excess of R8bn ($734m) to date to position NCT as South Africa’s flagship terminal. Its projected end state capacity is 2m teu. Currently the terminal boasts a capacity of 800 000 teu and by 2015 this will have increased to 1.5m teu.”