CLAIMS that a build-up of silt is posing a risk to vessels in the Port of Durban have been flatly denied by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA).
In a press release issued on behalf of port manager, Moshe Motlohi, he confirmed that the port is not silting up and that a “build-up of sand in one area alongside the entrance channel has in no way reduced capacity nor has it caused any disruption to vessels calling at the port. There have also been no new vessel groundings in the port in the last five months.”
Three groundings between October and December last year were due to the movement of harbour bed material in basins and at berths, which is exacerbated by the size of vessels calling at the port, according to the release.
The TNPA noted that monthly sand trap soundings indicated an overflow from near the entrance channel and a plan is in place to deal with this. A red buoy was then set up as a safety precaution to mark off the shallow part of the channel, which was reduced from 220m to 180m.
Ongoing maintenance dredging in the Port of Durban is in place and a dredger will be deployed to address this sand build-up.
