Multibillion-rand plan for Durban “old” airport

dURBAN 04112011 Ricky Bhikraj (Port Manager) and Hamilton Nxumalo.Picture:marilyn Bernard

dURBAN 04112011 Ricky Bhikraj (Port Manager) and Hamilton Nxumalo.Picture:marilyn Bernard

Published Nov 7, 2011

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Transnet’s procurement of Durban’s former airport site as a multibillion-rand dug-out port is close to being a “done deal”, according to National Port Authority officials.

Speaking at a press briefing on local port upgrades on Friday, Hamilton Nxumalo, manager of infrastructure, port planning and development, said the estimated R100 billion project, which has faced delays since an offer was made last year, will be finalised “in weeks”.

Nxumalo could not confirm the exact amount for which the site would be sold, but said Transnet had negotiated a “good price”.

Ricky Bhikraj, port manager, said the developments, both new and those on existing infrastructure, aimed to meet capacity ahead of demand.

Amid the delays, the development came at a opportune time, Bhikraj said, because “if (the National Port Authority) catered capacity too far ahead, we would have been wasteful and if (we had) waited until demand was upon us, we’d have missed the boat.”

Nxumalo said the existing port was close to exceeding capacity because of growing demand and the new port, expected to begin operations between 2016 and 2018, would lighten this load.

Nxumalo acknowledged that several landowners around the Prospecton airport site will need to be relocated, but said this would require careful consideration.

Bhikraj acknowledged that this was not ideal, but added that the new site had to be developed, because failure to embark on such megaprojects would place a “long-term (stranglehold)” on the country’s ability to trade, affecting the economy.

Bhikraj said the development would reap rewards for Durban as a prime port city and for its people in the form of job creation.

During construction, 20 000 direct and 47 000 indirect jobs would be created and once the port was operational 12 000 direct and 16 000 indirect jobs would be available, he said.

Upgrades to the existing port included revamps to the Island View, Bayhead and Maydon Wharf facilities, increasing their current vehicle and vessel capacity, as well as creating space for container and liquid cargo storage.

The cost of these upgrades to Island View, Bayhead Road and Maydon Wharf are estimated at R600 million, R256m and R 1.6bn, respectively.

During the upgrades, cargo would be diverted to the Eastern Cape as a temporary measure, and no cargo would be lost to any port outside of South Africa, Bhikraj said. - Daily News

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