An announcement can be expected soon on a partnership in the building of the container terminal at Coega industrial development zone outside Port Elizabeth, Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin said on Thursday.
Addressing a news conference ahead of his budget vote, he said this could include involvement in operating or building or owning of the infrastructure at the container terminal.
Noting that it was in the region of an R8-billion project, he said it would start out being a two-berth terminal and its size would be "groot" (large) with capacity for about three million containers.
Erwin said the target date for the opening of the terminal would be 2009.
Noting that the Alcan project — the aluminium smelter — would need supply through a port by 2008, he said he wanted Coega to be a multi-purpose terminal which could take container ships and be suitable for transshipment activity.
He noted further that the terminal would feed the Eastern Cape as well as link up with the interior of Gauteng as well as the Northern Cape which was rich with mineral deposits.
Erwin said he foresaw that the Port Elizabeth harbour would in the future be used largely for shipment of motorcars and fresh produce.
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