WALVIS BAY – A remarkable 1.250 million cubic metres of land has already been reclaimed for the N$3 billion new container terminal of the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport).
The work is part of Namport’s vision to expand the port so that it becomes the preferred port of choice for SADC and other landlocked countries.
The expansion includes the construction of a modern container terminal, adding 600m of quay length to the existing 1500m, adding 650 000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) per annum capacity to the existing 350 000 TEU.
This information was revealed to the media on Tuesday during an update on the progress of the port expansion by the main contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company, which was awarded the contract in 2012.
The acting project manager, Yuangfei Feng, said the work is at least 25 percent complete and on track with the projected completion date of March 2017.
“Our first major deadline is on February 4 next year when reclamation of the land must be completed. Thereafter we have to complete the quay walls by April 2016 and in August the revetment,” he said.
Explaining the revetment process, which entails the layering of different rock such as armour core rock, mixed filter layer, geotextile, and crushed stone layers to create a wall around the reclaimed land, Feng said he was confident they will comfortably meet the deadline to complete the revetment in August next year. More than 400 000 cubic metres of rock will be needed for revetment.
There are over 24 workers on site and two bulldozers, one long arm excavator, two normal excavators, three loaders and 41 trucks, among others.
Feng added that Chinese pode (concrete) was put on the revetment surface to break waves and ultimately protect the surface. He said dredging is currently underway, adding that it is one of the most important phases.
The process is carried out by two types of dredging vessels with one vessel pumping the sand via a 1400 metre pipeline to the construction area.
“We also created a sandbag cofferdam, which prevents the dredged material and muddy water from overflowing during the process of reclamation,” he said.
The construction of the sandbag cofferdam is being done with the assistance of a construction vessel, anchor boat, suction dredger and plastic pipes, he explained.
Apart from that, Feng said the ship-to-shore equipment fabrication must be done by September 26 and by December the ground improvement segment be completed while the project itself must be completed by May 18, 2017.
“We have 26 months to complete the work. A substantial amount of work has already been done and due to its high demand for concrete a cement batching plant was built at the port. We have put up an onsite laboratory to ensure that all materials used in the production of the concrete for the post-expansion is of the highest international standards and meet the requirements of the contract,” he said.
Furthermore on monies spent, Feng said that so far over N$100 million has been spent. This, he said, was mainly on procuring vital items and elements such as cement, stone, fuel, vessel repairs, design, insurance and customs clearance.
“The contract requires that 31.8 percent of the total contract value be spent on local procurement over the 36-month period and we are confident this target will be met. This essentially means that over one billion dollars will be spent on local procurement. In general, our relationship with local sub-contractors has been cordial and mutually respectful,” he said.