The Port of Ngqura, also known as Coega Harbour, is the only deepwater port on the east coast of South Africa, located about 20 km north-east of Gqeberha in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. It is the newest and deepest container port in the country, positioned at the mouth of the Coega River. The port serves as a transhipment hub for both regional and international trade flows.
During a recent media tour, Managing Executive: Eastern Cape Terminals, Wandisa Vazi, explained that the facility is undergoing a long-term revamp. "We have worked very hard to attract business and clients, and we are now in the process of revamping the port," Vazi said. The procurement of materials is underway, and efficiency improvements have been made over the past two years. "It has been an interesting last two years. We are now number three behind Durban." Vazi noted that the revamp could take 15 years, including refurbishing machinery, some of which is more than 60 years old.
The port is sheltered by two breakwaters: the 1.3 km western breakwater and the 2.7 km eastern breakwater, the longest in South Africa. The port's main function is to handle industrial bulk commodities and reduce congestion at other national ports.
Ngqura is the only port in South Africa with environmental authorisation for its construction and operation. A paleochannel running through the port provides natural deepwater conditions, limiting dredging requirements. Jahleel Island, situated 1 km offshore, influenced the port's layout, with construction required to remain at least 500 m away to protect marine and birdlife. Ngqura is also the first port in the world with a fixed jet pump sand bypass system, recreating the natural longshore drift of sand.
Transnet National Ports Authority is developing a manganese loading facility at Ngqura. The relocation of the current manganese facility from Port Elizabeth will increase capacity from 5.5 million to 16 million tons annually.
The Ngqura Container Terminal is designed as a transhipment hub, serving traffic from the Far East, South America, and African markets. The terminal has a 16-metre draft, four berths, eight ship-to-shore cranes, 1,652 reefer points, and a transhipment capacity of 1.5 million TEUs.
Ngqura recently berthed one of the world's largest container vessels, MSC Nicola Mastro, on her maiden voyage. The berthing was completed with a four-tug operation, using tugboats with a bollard-pull of 60 to 70 tons.
Source: SA News