Western Cape Business 2017 edition

SPECIAL FEATURE
makes internal components of
wind turbines; Kaytech (a geotextiles
firm) which has recently
expanded (R130-million), as has
Skyward Windows (double glazing,
R50-million). All told, there
has been about R680-million
invested Atlantis in the green
technology field.
Chinese giant Hisense established
a high-tech factory in Atlantis
in 2013, and is keen to expand its
investment down the value chain,
especially using green technology
to make more efficient fridges and
television sets.
The proposed Atlantis Green
Tech SEZ has several particular incentives
available. These include:
• Financial measures including
an electricity tariff subsidy
• Exemption from land-use
application fees
• Assistance from the City of
Cape
• Town for companies to obtain faster environmental
authorisation from the
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Development Planning
The state (through the dti) is likely to pass legislation
that requires developers to increase the level of local
content on the solar panels or wind turbines that are
used in renewable energy projects. Any movement
in this sphere could benefit Atlantis.
Saldanha Bay
The Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone
(SBIDZ) has formally been in existence since 2013
and has ambitious plans to tap further into the
burgeoning oil rig maintenance and repair business.
About 130 rigs round the Cape every year, and at the
moment South Africa attracts only a tiny fraction
of them to its ports.
The SBIDZ fits neatly into two over-arching
visions: Operation Phakisa (the national
government’s strategy to unlock value from the
“Oceans Economy”) and Project Khulisa, the targeted
growth strategy of the Western Cape Provincial
Government, which includes servicing and repairing
of oil rigs as a priority. South Africa currently
accounts for 1% of the global market of ship repair
and refurbishment.
Priority sectors at Saldanha are upstream oil
and gas and marine engineering and services, and
32 companies have already signed non-disclosure
agreements as investors in the IDZ. The IDZ is run
by the SBIDZ-Licencing Company, which works together
with the Transnet National Ports Authority
(TNPA) on many joint projects.
These are being undertaken to create good conditions
for possible investors. Quay-side infrastructure
has been upgraded including a wastewater
treatment plant and a new road and bridge over
the MR559. Fencing and access control points in
support of the customs zone are being constructed.
Three major projects are under way or in the planning
stage and are overseen by national government,
the Southern African Oil and Gas Alliance (SAOGA)
and SBIDZ-LC:
Offshore Supply Base
Basil Read won the contract to extend TNPA’s
general maintenance quay to create an Offshore
Supply Base (OSB). The quayside is 294m with a
further 3.8ha being available onshore for support
operations. It will cater for ships and rigs looking for
oil along both coasts of Africa, and any other rigs
passing along the coast.
Berth 205
This is the name of a planned specialised rig and
vessel repair quay that will be able to cater to the
latest design in oil rigs.
Mossgas Jetty
Equipment and vessel-servicing facility: this
planned 1 000m-long jetty will be perpendicular
to the shoreline of the Port of Saldanha Bay. It
will have a maximum width of 120m and be able
to serve several ships or rigs in need of repairs or
servicing at the same time. In addition, there will
be a floating dock. TNPA has done several studies
on the possible location of the jetty and the local
and international market will be canvassed for
companies to do the work.
59 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017