Investment bulks up coal terminal
RBCT spends over billion rand on machinery replacement.
THE Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) will spend R1.34-billion to replace ageing stackers, ship loaders and substations over the next three years.
RBCT revealed on Thursday some of its equipment, now more than three decades old, are reaching the end of their design life and have to be replaced to grow the terminal’s existing yearly throughput capacity of 74 million metric tons.
Through its partnership with Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), which is currently implementing Operation Shongololo to expand coal rail capacity to Richards Bay, the terminal aims to increase throughput to 77-million tonnes and then 81-million tonnes over the next five years.
To help achieve these targets, the new equipment will include two new 6000tph (tons per hour) rail mounted stacker reclaimers, two 10 000tph rail mounted ship loaders, reconfiguring five existing substations, as well as adding a new substation to enhance operation efficiency.
First to take shape will be the new substation at the end of September next year, followed by the reconfiguration of the existing substations in February 2017.
The first and second ship loader will be replaced by June and August in 2017, while the first and second stacker reclaimers will go on stream in December 2017 and mid-January 2018.
Some of the oldest equipment at RBCT, remarkably still in operation today, are two Dravo stacker reclaimers and two Fives Lille-Gail Applevage ship loaders commissioned in 1976 – nearly 40 years ago.
RBCT CEO Nosipho Siwisa-Damasane said of the total cost of the project and distribution, R140-million (18.2%) will be spent in Richards Bay, while the remaining R768m (57%) will be national spend.
Global engineering group Sandvik Mining Systems will be responsible for building the equipment and consulting company Aurecon South Africa will provide engineering, management and specialist technical services to the stacker reclaimer and ship loader replacement project.
Norconsult Iyanda will manage the substation reconfiguration.
DID YOU KNOW?
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
BBM – 25A0BF5A or 2B7993C8
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
