PORTS, TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR NEWS ROUND-UP, 14/2019 (15-26 JULY 2019)

In light of the rapid pace of infrastructure and transport developments across Africa, our Ports, Transport and Logistics (PTL) Sector Group is pleased to present Bowmans’ latest PTL news round-up. Our regular round-ups bring you a selection of pan-African PTL-related stories and keep you up to date regarding developments in the space across Africa.

We draw on a network of multi-disciplinary experts across Africa in fields as diverse as project finance, construction and environmental law, to keep you in the know about developments and thought leadership in the PTL space.

As the articles to which we refer readers are, unless stated otherwise, neither written nor edited by ourselves and appear in their original form, we mention that by publishing them Bowmans does not necessarily agree with opinions expressed in those articles.

This edition includes news headlines and links to articles from a variety of sources, covering stories from Angola, Cameroon, DRC, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Calls for public comment:

• Comments on the new draft National Ports Amendment Bill (South Africa)
  A new draft National Ports Amendment Bill was published on 11 July 2019 by the Department of Transport. A copy may be found here. Comments on the draft must be submitted within 30 days of publication. With this date falling over a weekend and the intervening public holiday, we’d suggest you aim to submit any comments on or before Thursday 8 August 2019.
• Comments on the National Ports Amendment Regulations, 2019
  (South Africa)
  The National Ports Amendment Regulations, 2019 were published on 19 July 2019 by the Department of Transport. A copy may be found here. Comments on the draft Regulations must be submitted within 30 days of publication. With this date falling over a weekend, we’d suggest you aim to submit any comments on or before Friday 16 August 2019.
• Public hearings on the National Ports Authority Tariff Application for 2020/21 - 2022/23 (South Africa)
  The National Ports Authority has submitted its tariff application for 2020/21 - 2022/23 to the Ports Regulator of South Africa (the Regulator). A copy of the tariff application is available on the Regulator’s website here. The Regulator has extended an invitation to ports users and interested parties to attend public hearings on the tariff application, between 2 and 7 August 2019. Written comments should be submitted by 16 September 2019. Further details of the public hearings, including venues and times, are provided on their website here.

News continues below:

Cameroon Port of Douala takes delivery of IHC Beaver 50 cutter suction dredger (Cameroon)
Source: Africa Ports (25 July 2019)
In an effort to become independent of outside dredging requirements, the Port of Douala has taken delivery of a new Beaver 50 cutter suction dredger to be utilised in maintaining water depth levels alongside port quays and wharves in the Cameroon port. Read the full article here.

Green light for East London's Latimer's Landing redevelopment (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (24 July 2019)
The long-awaited revitalisation of the Port of East London’s Latimer’s Landing quayside leisure development has taken a leap forward, with approval granted to Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to proceed with demolishing the existing historic structure and to replace it with a modern fit for purpose structure. Read the full article here.

TPT inland terminal performs with over 100,000 tonnes of export chrome
(South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (23 July 2019)
The first inland terminal of Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) exceeded its monthly average throughput, peaking to 100,000 tons of chrome in June, a feat last achieved in 2017. The Pendoring Inland Terminal is situated in Britz, a town in the North West province employing over 20 permanent workers in its front-end loader operation which was set-up to encourage more export volumes. Read the full article here.

Transnet signs a cost-sharing agreement with IFC to facilitate investment in natural gas infrastructure (South Africa)
Source: Transnet (22 July 2019)
Transnet SOC Ltd is pleased to announce that it has entered into a cost-sharing agreement with IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to conclude a feasibility study for the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and regasification terminal at the Port of Richards Bay and the re-purposing of Transnet pipelines for natural gas transmission to inland markets. Read the full press release here.

Proposed port levies – ‘funds must be ring-fenced’ (South Africa)
Source: FTW Online (22 July 2019)
The Agricultural Business Chamber has urged exporters to give careful consideration to the draft National Ports Amendment Bill, published for comment recently. Read the full article here.

Seadrill's West Gemini drillship to operate ultra-deep off West Africa (West Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (22 July 2019)
Seadrill, the UK-managed, Bermuda-incorporated deepwater drilling contractor operating worldwide drilling services to the petroleum industry, has announced a contract awarded by an undisclosed customer for its ultra-deepwater drillship 'West Gemini' to drill off West Africa. Read the full article here.

Deepsea Stavanger to return for more drilling off SA's southern Cape coast
(South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (22 July 2019)
Odfjell Drilling’s semi-submersible rig, 'Deepsea Stavanger' is to return to drill for gas and oil in Block 11B/12B offshore of Mossel Bay, where earlier this year a workable strike using the same rig was made. Read the full article here.

Upgraded Pemba port to operate 24/7 (Mozambique)
Source: FTW Online (17 July 2019)
Mozambican Ports and Railways (CFM) unveiled the newly upgraded Pemba Port which will operate 24/7. According to CFM the port recently underwent a $5 million “rehabilitation and reinforcement” period with the implementation of modern infrastructure and equipment. Read the full article here.

Chinese express interest in re-launching the Lobito Corridor & Benguela Railway (Angola, DRC, Zambia and Zimbabwe)
Source: Africa Ports (16 July 2019)
Chinese firms have expressed interest in helping increase the use of the strategic Benguela Railway and Lobito Corridor with neighbouring countries. Read the full article here.

South Africa’s trade promotion efforts are crucial to economic growth
(South Africa)
Source: Department of Trade and Industry (14 July 2019)
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ebrahim Patel, says building the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and making South Africa’s trade promotion efforts more effective and strategic, was very crucial to economic growth in the country and the African continent in general. Read the full media statement here.