Boat-building plan for port

East London businesses have been invited to participate in various multimillion-rand projects planned for the harbour over the next few years.

This was revealed at a Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) meeting in the city yesterday where plans for a boat-building operation at the East London port were disclosed.

TNPA said the port would focus on boat repairs for the parastatal’s national operations.

A R120-million project to upgrade East London’s foreshore was started on Monday, TNPA said.

East London port manager Jacqueline Brown said the boat-building project, dubbed Project Phakisa, would take place over the next year. However, the state-owned company was still to advertise tenders to secure partners for the project and has not revealed its value.

Brown said the boat-building project and upgrade projects planned were a means to boost economic activity for East London businesses.

TNPA chief executive Tau Morwe said East London would tackle all small vessel fleet repair works for TNPA.

“Through the implementation of Project Phakisa, we took a decision that all repair works for the TNPA fleet will take place in the Port of East London so that ports open up for bigger vessels in terms of repairs and manufacturing,” said Morwe.

Brown highlighted a number of projects planned by TNPA that include deepening and widening the port entrance and developing Latimer’s Landing.

She said TNPA would allocate a substantial amount of land for Project Phakisa. “We would really love the business community of East London to take up these opportunities to make sure boat-building becomes one of those economic activities that I believe can benefit businesses in the greater East London area,” said Brown, adding that the TNPA would for the most part empower upcoming businesses via its projects.

TNPA has committed R120-million over the next two years to rehabilitate and strengthen the West Bank foreshore, which has been extensively damaged by long-term erosion and natural degradation.

“The project involves laying down close to 50000 cubic metres of rock along a 900m stretch of coastline behind the East London grain elevator,” said Port of East London senior engineer Owen Hensburg.

“This is aimed at countering the erosion that has taken place over the past two decades, allowing the Port of East London to secure the breakwater and protect both the grain elevator and the railway line that supports it.

“This is an important maintenance project to protect the future integrity of the foreshore.” — siyam@dispatch.co.za