Transnet's latest Richards Bay asset

The Port of Richards Bays newest asset, the R130 million Rio Tinto Alcan Alesa unloader, which marks the start of the ports multi-billion rand equipment replacement programme.

The arrival of a R130 million ship unloader in the Port of Richards Bay has signalled the start of a multibillion-rand new equipment replacement programme for South Africa’s largest bulk cargo export facility.

Manufactured by Swiss shipping manufacturer Rio Tinto Alcan Alesa Engineering Ltd, the custom-built pneumatic ship unloader will be one of the terminal’s largest assets.

The unloader is only the seventh of its kind in the world. It is part of port operator Transnet Port Terminal’s (TPT) ambitious R3-billion equipment replacement programme to improve capacity, equipment reliability and service delivery at the Richards Bay Terminal in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

According to TPT, the new machine will be able to unload alumina and petcoke from vessels and will facilitate a homogeneous and dust reduced material flow. It has the capacity to unload 1000 tons an hour by design, making it a valuable acquisition in improving the terminal’s operational efficiency.

TPT will be spending a R33bn budget over the next seven years for new equipment acquisition projects at its ports countrywide. Of this total, R12.1bn will be spent in Richards Bay.

“This investment in Richards Bay shows TPT’s sound commitment to the terminal and will make a remarkable difference in enabling the plant to achieve improved operating efficiencies and deliver on customer expectations,” said Victor Mkhize, TPT’s head of the Richards Bay Terminal.

Mother company, Transnet SOC Limited’s market demand strategy will see the company invest in excess of R300bn on capital projects over a seven-year period aimed at building freight capacity to support South Africa’s economic growth.

“The market demand strategy has major implications for our division’s responsibility to facilitate unconstrained growth, unlock demand and create world-class port operations through improved efficiencies,” said Karl Socikwa, chief executive of TPT.

“Acquiring the unloader in Richards Bay is certainly a significant step towards us achieving our market demand strategy objectives and huge thanks must go to the project team for many months of intensive work involved,” he said.

TPT client, BHP Billiton Aluminium SA, which is one of the anchor users of the Richards Bay Terminal, welcomed the investment in the new unloader.

“We feel this clearly demonstrates TPT’s commitment to improving operations,” said Lucas Msimanga of BHP Billiton Aluminium SA.