City of Cape Town Link

City to engage National Government to relocate Cape Town cargo port

The location of the Cape Town container port where high winds are often preventing or delaying activity, is hampering the growth of our local economy. I have requested a meeting with Portnet, the National Ports Authority, to discuss a proposal from the City of Cape Town to investigate and consider alternative options for a container port in the eco-region, and to seriously reconsider investment in expanding the port at its current location. Saldanha already has an Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), plus there is another IDZ close at hand in Atlantis. Given that the City is considering these locations for the development of local industry, it makes sense to have an adjacent cargo port. This would be of considerable benefit to business, the local communities, and the economic growth of our eco-region with subsequent job creation and other indirect advantages. Cape Town is synonymous with the southeaster wind that often blows at gale force for days on end in summer. Capetionians have no choice but to endure the medicine from the Cape Doctor that gets rid of polluted air and covers Table Mountain in a cloth. Many people are, however, unaware of the significant impact the southeaster has on Cape Town’s commercial life. For about 70 to 80 days a year, the Table Mountain Cableway cannot operate, mainly because of the high winds. Indications are that due to climate change, Cape Town will face more frequent and stronger southeaster winds in future. We cannot ignore the impact this will have on commercial activity, in particular that of the container dock in the heart of the Foreshore. In recent months, high winds have prevented container vessels from berthing in the container dock. The vessels have by-passed Cape Town altogether, which resulted in the delay of exports and imports from and into the Western Cape. Shipping companies and businesses dependent on the shipping industry for their income have suffered considerable financial loss. The delay in the delivery of goods has severely affected businesses working on tight delivery deadlines, not to mention the loss of working capital. The original harbour was built in the most protected part of Table Bay. However, the container dock is built as an extension of the Foreshore reclamation, which faces the full force of the southeaster wind. Transnet plans to extend the Cape Town container terminal to cater for another 1 million containers. Given the possible long-term change in weather conditions, however, one has to question whether this is still a sensible and viable idea. It is interesting that the major concerns of the environment impact assessment (EIA) covering the harbour expansion, were the impact on the wave flow and from where the material to fill the container wall would come. The impact of wind was not considered a major hindrance to the construction. It has long been a debate as to whether it is feasible to have Cape Town harbour almost in the middle of the central business district. Internationally, most harbour expansion has taken place outside the main city boundaries. One of the challenges with the Durban port concerns the traffic difficulties in trying to get to the harbour. Cape Town has already been experiencing challenges catering for the heavy goods vehicle traffic trying to access the harbour during peak times. The question is: How will we manage an extra million containers using the container port? It is time to reflect and reassess what needs to be done to develop Cape Town harbour for the long-term, and what is needed for sustainability and resilience. Future investment in expanding the cargo port cannot dare ignore the impact of climate change. I have requested a meeting with Portnet to discuss alternatives, among which to develop Saldanha as a cargo or container port. It is within an IDZ, and close to Atlantis, which also has an IDZ, and makes economic sense. End

2021-03-24T22:00:00Z

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