Ngqura terminal in ship-shape for October launch

April 29, 2009
Author: Lunga Ngcobo

Ngqura, South Africa, 29 April 2009 - With just five months to go before its commercial launch, the new Ngqura container terminal is a hive of activity, and Transnet Port Terminals’ Divisional Executive Manager for the Container Sector says all parties are gearing up to ensure it brings value to the maritime industry.

“We are now obviously at a very critical stage in this project but have every reason to be highly confident, as we move closer to the experimental operations testing process planned for August and September, followed by our October go-live date,” said Siyabulela Mhlaluka.

Mhlaluka said the majority of the terminal’s infrastructure was in place, final recruitment and training programmes had kicked into high gear and customer engagement was now at an advanced stage. Transnet has invested in excess of R10 billion to date to develop the facility as a high-performance terminal.

“Our most significant progress - as far as world-class equipment is concerned - includes the assembly and commissioning of twelve rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) and four Megamax ship-to-shore cranes to date. Two additional ship-to-shores scheduled for delivery in May or June will complete the fleet of six such cranes, while the remainder of the 22 RTGs will be delivered as the programme progresses further,” he said.

The commissioned cranes are currently being used in the terminal’s intensive Operators of Lifting Equipment (OLE) training programme, which has produced 42 RTG operators and 18 ship-to-shore operators since January.

The 60 operators are now nearing the end of their rigorous training programme. This involves four weeks of classroom-based theoretical education, one week of simulation training via Transnet Port Terminals’ mobile advanced crane simulator and finally 12 weeks of practical application manoeuvring actual cranes and shipping containers.

Mhlaluka said the importance of adhering to rigid safety procedures had been impressed upon operators from the commencement of their training, along with the obvious technical skills, trouble-shooting and the ability to operate equipment quickly and efficiently.

“We are now entering the next wave of recruitment and appointments will continue to be made from within the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan area (Port Elizabeth). Upcoming appointments will include around 33 driver articulated vehicle operators, as well as cargo controllers, first line managers and supervisors, a SHEQ Manager, and support services and administration staff. We already have our core operations staff and 11 expert planners who will be responsible for vessel planning, berth planning, rail planning, traffic control and stack planning, ” said Mhlaluka.

He said the terminal currently had in place a staff complement of just over 80, of which more than 90% were appointments drawn from the local region. This would be stepped up to 210 permanent employees by the time the terminal opens in October.

Further equipment on order includes two rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs) currently en route from Shanghai, China, which will arrive in May or June of this year to serve the rail terminal and its Johannesburg to Ngqura rail corridor.

Around half of the 1680 reefer plug points for refrigerated cargo were ready to be electrified and Mhlaluka said this would be sufficient to serve vessels in October. The balance of the reefer points would be made available in stages. Non-critical equipment such as the six reach stackers and empty container handlers are scheduled for arrival in June.

Mhlaluka said the terminal would be implementing other high-tech systems including the web-based Navis SPARCS N4 terminal operating system, which Transnet recently introduced in a global first for port operators, running it from a central server across multiple marine and rail sites. Ngqura container terminal would also boast a fully automated gate system, similar to that introduced at Pier 1 container terminal in Durban last year.

Transnet has already taken beneficial occupation of the main building cluster comprising mess and ablution facilities, which is due for handover in June. The temporary services workshop, including offices and mess rooms, has been occupied since January and would likely continue to be used even once the main hauler zone workshop was handed over in December of this year.

The 60,000 hectare Ngqura container terminal will open with a capacity of 800,000 TEUs, but by its end state will boast a capacity of two million TEUs. The Port of Ngqura will be the only port in South Africa able to receive new generation vessels carrying between 8,000 and 9,000 TEUs with a draft of 16.5 metres.