The Civil Engineering Contractor March 2018 | Page 9

ON CONTRACTORS’ SITES
Transnet National Ports Authority has completed its rehabilitation of the
infrastructure of Port Nolloth on the north-western coast of South Africa.
Port Nolloth Phakisa Project completed
The R39-million infrastructure upgrade was carried out
over 14 months by contractor Stefanutti Stocks Marine. In
line with Transnet’s Supplier Development requirements,
of the contract value, 25% was ploughed back into local
companies — predominantly black-, women-, and youth-
owned businesses.
The port, founded in the late 1800s as an export facility
for copper from mines located in the Springbok area, is now
used as an offshore supply base of De Beers Group Services.
Port of Cape Town port manager, Mpumi Dweba-Kwetana,
whose portfolio includes Port Nolloth, said the port would
continue to serve as a support facility to the fishing and
offshore mining industries.
She explained the importance of the project: “The completion
of this rehabilitation project is part of a longer-term plan to
develop Port Nolloth into a port that offers greater economic
opportunities for the people of the area. It is one of several
projects that we as Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA)
are proud to be fulfilling, as an implementing agency in the
Marine Transport and Manufacturing (MTM) delivery unit of
the South African government’s Operation Phakisa: Oceans
Economy initiative,” she said.
The purpose of Operation Phakisa is to fast-track and
unlock investments across South Africa’s maritime sector, and
Dweba-Kwetana said the improved port infrastructure would
better enable Port Nolloth to support offshore activities.
De Beers Group Services has held a five-year lease
agreement to use the port as an offshore supply base for
conducting diamond prospecting activity in Namibia, with
Smit Amandla supply vessels stationed at the port used to
transfer supplies to De Beers’ offshore prospecting vessels.
Transnet’s infrastructure at the port comprises an L-shaped
concrete deck on pile jetty, with a 67-metre landing quay and
a useable area of 1 450m 2 .
Work completed since August 2016 included refurbishment
of the jetty structure, refurbishment or replacement of
concrete where required, refurbishment of quay infrastructure,
replacement of quayside fender systems, and revetment works
to address erosion of the shore line.
Port Nolloth is one of six development nodes identified
by the South African government to be developed over time
into a world-class and sustainable coastal and marine tourism
destination under Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy.
The completion of this
rehabilitation project is part of a
longer-term plan to develop Port
Nolloth into a port that offers
greater economic opportunities for
the people of the area.
CEC March 2018 - 7