Ngqura container capacity expanded

Aimed at improving port infrastructure, efficiencies and economic functioning at the Port of Ngqura, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has created two new container berths, doubling its container ship capacity to four.

This follows the dredging of berths to a 16m depth. The berths have been handed over to the terminal operator, Transnet Port Terminals.

The 16m deep berths each have a 300m long quayside which enables the Ngqura container terminal to handle four container ships of up to 11000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) at any one time, improving ship turn-around times.

Stack capacity will also increase from 800000 TEUs to two million TEUs. A total of seven berths at the Port of Ngqura are now complete - four container berths, two manganese berths and one general cargo berth.

TNPA is in the early stages of appointing a terminal operator for the manganese and general cargo terminals.

The additional container berths are a highlight in a successful year for the Port of Ngqura which handles 70% trans-shipment cargo and 30% deep-sea imports and exports.

Other highlights for 2012 included: an increase in container cargo handling; the appointment of port manager, Nompumelelo Dweba; getting ISO14001 and OSHAS 18001 accreditation.

TNPA says that as the port goes from strength to strength it is on track to support government's National Growth Path job creation and poverty alleviation initiatives in the Eastern Cape. To this end it has 225 employees, a number which is expected to increase year-on-year as the port develops.

Source: Herald via I-Net Bridge