Addressing stakeholders at a business breakfast in Durban earlier today, representatives of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) provided a project update on the forthcoming Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2’s North Quay deepening project.
As Transnet reported, the deeper berths will enable the Port of Durban to accommodate newer generation container vessels by 2023.
The company’s Chief Capital Officer, Krishna Reddy, said that the R7 billion mega project would help to sustain the existing container operations at the Port of Durban, specifically DCT Berths 203 to 205.
The contract for the multi-billion-rand Main Marine Construction Works package has been awarded to CMI Emtateni Joint Venture.
According to Transnet, the marine infrastructure work will be executed in three successive phases – commencing with work on berth 205, followed by berth 204 and ending with berth 203. This staggered approach will ensure that the terminal is able to accommodate two vessels at any time between berths 203 to 205, even while one berth is decommissioned.
The company also added that a new quay wall will be constructed 50m seawards of the existing quay wall, along Berths 203 to 205, which will provide sufficient water depth to safely accommodate larger Post Panamax vessels.
The existing quay wall will be deepened from -12.8m to -16.5m Chart Datum Port (CDP) and lengthened from 914m to approximately 1 210m which will allow for the simultaneous berthing of three 350m long Post Panamax Vessels. These berths have been operating beyond their original water depth design specifications.