THE completion of the construction of a new tug jetty for the Port of Durban will enable quicker turnaround time for larger vessels that require additional tugs, according to Transnet’s National Port Authority (TNPA).
The completion of the project means the draft limitations and berthing space constraints have been eliminated as the port will now have sufficient berthing space and be able to consolidate the berthing of its marine fleet, which will increase operational efficiencies.
“The completion of the tug jetty project is a great milestone for the Port of Durban. The port now has a complement of 18 marine fleet which includes tugs, launches, pilot boats, a floating crane and a work boat. The older jetty could only accommodate 13 marine vessels, and the balance of the fleet was required to be berthed in other areas within the port. The new jetty makes the marine craft easily available to operations.” said port manager at the Port of Durban, Mpumi Dweba – Kwetana.
The R127 million construction project commenced in May 2021 and was implemented in two segments. The first segment included the establishment of a new 110m tug jetty adjacent and parallel to the existing jetty. The second segment included the extension of the original tug jetty by 35m. The existing tug basin was deepened to eight metres to safely accommodate all tug vessels.
TNPA says that the provision of efficient marine services is one of TNPA’s core service offerings to the shipping industry. These services include providing towage, docking, and/or undocking services to vessels calling at and leaving the port. The efficiency of this service is dependent on having a reliable marine fleet of tugs, with infrastructure that is fit for purpose and capable of delivering an agreed-upon service level to a wide range of vessels.
The construction was initiated in line with the KwaZulu-Natal Port Master Plan, a programme that is set to position the Durban port as an international container hub.
