State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has completed the replacement and installation of 37 capstans in its four dry-dock facilities to enhance productivity at its largest and busiest ports.

"Marine manufacturing and ship repair facilities have been identified as focal areas of the ocean economy to unlock GDP growth and employment creation. The primary goal of our ongoing infrastructure investment is to increase competitiveness and deliver improved ship repair facilities, which result in increased levels of productivity in marine operations," says TNPA acting CE Phyllis Difeto.

"The implementation of the Operation Phakisa programme provides strategic business value for ports," she adds.

TNPA invested R200-million to replace all 37 capstans at the dry-dock facilities of the Durban and Cape Town ports, thereby standardising the ship repair equipment. This project is part of TNPA's ongoing commitment to support the Operation Phakisa programme.

TNPA initiated the replacement project following a condition assessment that identified a need to upgrade all capstans owing to frequent breakdowns, ageing and unavailability of maintenance spares, it says.

A capstan is a rotating machine used in dry-dock operations, constructed and installed to assist in the warping of vessels and to amplify the pulling force of the marine crew when hauling ropes. They assist in pulling the vessels into position inside the dock.

The new capstans are equipped with hydraulic systems and human-machine interfaces (HMIs), which is a novel feature. TNPA is leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency in line with maritime industry best practice.

Further, the associated electrical upgrades, which now have the electrical connections in parallel, will eliminate the previous series connection which resulted in multiple outages, causing issues such as breakdowns leading to complete system shutdowns and halted production, TNPA says.

"TNPA is already realising the benefits of the upgraded capstans. In July 2024, the Port of Durban’s Prince Edward dry-dock marked its first historic milestone by docking a record-breaking five marine crafts for the first time since its construction in the 1920s. The dock reached its maximum capacity of 350 m in length," Difeto says.

These rotating machines are being replaced in the Port of Cape Town at various locations. They are divided into 12 at Sturrock dry-dock, ten at Robinson dry-dock and seven at Synchrolift, and Port of Durban’s Prince Edward dry-dock made up of eight capstans, she says.