South Africa: Transnet Project
The Hatch, Mott MacDonald, and Goba joint venture (HMG) was established in January 2006 as the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) managing contractors for Transnet’s capital expansion program of more than 27 rail and port infrastructure projects across South Africa. Transnet is the body responsible for South Africa’s rail and port infrastructure, and this program has been critical to ensure that the country’s infrastructure can support its economic growth.
The program includes:
- A capacity increase of the 860-kilometre iron ore heavy rail line from Sishen to Saldanha
- The expansion of the Port of Saldanha
- The deepening and widening of the Durban harbor entrance
- Development of the Pier 1 container terminal in Durban
- Development of the Ngqura container terminal and additional facilities at the new port
- Expansion of the Cape Town container terminal
- The upgrade and refurbishment of the Port Elizabeth manganese terminal
- Expansion of the Durban Port car terminal
- The upgrade and refurbishment of the dry bulk terminal at the port of Richards Bay
HMG has also worked on various studies for developing additional capacity for coal, iron ore and container transportation, as part of the National Infrastructure Plan.
The complexity, diversity, and geographic locations of the projects required HMG to establish a solid programmanagement approach to ensure the program’s success.
The program was divided into major streams of activity, including rail and ports. Senior project managers were
responsible for projects clustered under the streams, and each project was managed as a major EPCM project.
HMG has successfully completed a number of the program’s projects ahead of schedule and under budget, and has been recognized for these achievements through various industry awards.
The Durban harbor entrance widening project received the South African Institution of Civil Engineering’s (SAICE) Durban Branch Award for Most Outstanding Civil Engineering Project in Technical Excellence and the Ngqura container terminal project received SAICE’s National Award for technical excellence. |
