Cape Town's terminal's second berth now opens to mega ships

DREDGING to 15.5 metres at the Transnet Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has been completed at a cost of ZAR5.4 billion (US$760 million), a project that includes refurbishing the 702-metre wharf to accommodate postpanamax ships at the facility's second berth, Berth 602.


"The investment, which is part of our ZAR110 billion five-year capital investment programme, will not only increase capacity but go a long way towards improving productivity and efficiency at our ports," said Transnet CEO Brian Molefe at the opening ceremony.


South Africa's public enterprise minister Malusi Gigaba said that the Transnet expansion serves as a catalyst for long-term growth, reported London's Containerisation International, which added that the investment and would bring efficiencies to the western Cape by lowering the cost of doing business.


It aims to double terminal capacity by 2012 to 1.4 million TEU by upgrading all four berths and the Ben Schoeman Basin to accommodate larger ships. Eight Liebherr super postpanamax cranes with twin lift capability, six of which are already in place, have replaced old ship-to-shore cranes.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)