Pretoria: Wednesday, 09 December 2015

Planned development of the port of Saldanha on the West Coast could be further delayed by an ongoing legal wrangle between the Transnet’s National Ports Authority (TNPA), the Ports Regulator and private sector investors, Sunrise Energy and Avedia Energy, it emerged this week.

The possibility of further delays to the oil and gas port infrastructure development were highlighted by the Ports Regulator and CEO, Mr Mahesh Fakir earlier this week while attending a Presidential Imbizo week at the port of Saldanha to receive and evaluate NPA progress reports.
The Monday gathering involved stakeholders in the oil and gas industry of the maritime sector, government and involved parastatals’ officials including the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

The dispute apparently involves a contest over certain concessions made by the NPA to one of the private sector businesses, believed to be Sunrise Energy to build and operate a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) import facility in the port of Saldanha and against which Avedia Energy is reportedly most unhappy with.

The matter recently received a ruling of the High Court and about which Mr Fakir said the Ports Regulator might appeal against.

To read more on some particular details of the dispute click here or here

Below is Mr Fakir’s remarks on this and related issues: