THE Port of Port Elizabeth welcomed the berthing of UAAC Mirdif, the first vessel at its tanker berth after the early completion of the berth repairs.
The vessel berthed at 10am on Friday, 29 March 2019 and sailed on Saturday, 30 March after delivering a consignment of white oil to Nelson Mandela Bay.
This was just days after Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) announced that repairs to the Tanker Berth had been successfully completed ahead of schedule. The berth had been closed since 18 February 2019 to enable repairs to be carried out on the corroded steel structures supporting the berth’s access walkway.
The repair works were awarded to Ocean Engineering, a Port Elizabeth-based, ship and marine infrastructure repair company. As the works had to be conducted above and below water, the contractor further made use of the services of CDC Commercial Diving.
Louis Botha of Ocean Engineering said the work was technically challenging and also affected by weather conditions and the tides. “We were constrained to complete the project in a very narrow window. However, with thoughtful planning as well as creative collaboration with Raymond Taylor of CDC Commercial Diving, we were able to complete the project early,” Botha said.
Port Manager of the Port of PE, Rajesh Dana, said, “TNPA is very pleased that the contractor was able to complete ahead of schedule, despite some delays experienced due to weather conditions.
“The collaborative effort in which this project was executed is highly commendable. TNPA would like to thank the TNPA engineering team, the contractor, the oil companies and the South African Petroleum Industry Association for ensuring that safety of operations at the Port of PE was prioritised in allowing the project to be implemented as smoothly as it was. This cooperation ensured that the promise made to the public of uninterrupted fuel supply to Nelson Mandela Bay during the shutdown was kept.”