An increase in bulk and breakbulk cargo at the Port of Richards Bay’s Transnet Port Terminal (TPT) has compelled an urgent request for another tippler at its rail yard.
According to the basic assessment report for the proposed equipment, the two existing rail tipplers onsite are taking strain from escalated volumes of cargo, which includes magnetite, coal, chrome, vermiculite and sulphates.
The terminal imports, exports and provides storage for the diverse commodities, transported to and from TPT via road and rail.
‘The installation of the third tippler provides an opportunity to reduce the risk of failure of the existing tipplers and increases the tipping capacity of the rail yard,’ said TPTs environmental assessment practitioner, WSP Environmental in the report.
A site proposed for the tippler is situated adjacent to an existing rail yard within the port.
The project will comprise a single cell rotaside tippler with a throughput range of 900 tonnes per hour (tph) for coal to 2500 tph for magnetite.
TPT is also hoping to secure a dust extraction and bag filter system as well as a new rail line and conveyors necessary for the new tippler.
‘The installation of dust extraction and bag filter equipment will reduce the potential impact of dust emissions from the tippler,’ said WSP.
‘The economic impact of the proposed tippler is anticipated to be positive, as the additional throughput of the port will provide ongoing economic sustainability for the port, service providers and clients, along with improving reliability of the overall tippler service TPT provides to its clients.’
Clean construction WSP added the majority of impacts during the construction and decommissioning phases are expected to range between low to medium significance.
‘Impacts on the physical environment will be localised to the tippler site and the probability of impacts to surrounding receptors is low with the implementation of mitigation measures.
‘The operational phase is anticipated to have a low impact in terms of a decrease in ambient air quality.’
The Draft Basic Assessment report (BAR) is available at the Richards Bay Public Library for comment until 1 October.
For more information, contact Bathabile Msomi on 031 2408852.
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