Civil Engineering October 2022 | Vol 30 No 9

4 October 2022 Civil Engineering ON THE COVER A frica’s port infrastructure remains a major focus for regional develop- ment given the vital role that it plays in the supply chain, with all ports on the continent having a far-reaching hinterland and often spanning several countries. About 40% of Africa’s seaborne exports consist of crude oil, with almost 20% of the continent’s imports comprising petroleum products and gas. However, only 4% of the world’s trade containers are handled by African ports. To improve the ability to handle more containers, as well as dry and liquid bulk, many African countries are focusing on improving their port infrastructure. By 2025, a whopping US$2.5 trillion worth of port infrastructure projects are expected to be completed on the continent. This excludes Transnet’s plans to invest more than R40 billion in its ports over the next five years. Moreover, it intends to spend R100 billion to upgrade the Durban Port precinct over the next decade to quadruple its existing capacity. This will enable the port to compete effectively against other facilities located along the east coast of the continent. “As a world-class marine, back of quay civils, mechanical and on-shore/off-shore pipeline infrastructure specialist, MDPLC Marine Africa believes that it can mean- ingfully participate in this large capital investment programme. Moreover, we are strategically positioned to successfully bid for work in other African countries where port infrastructure is also showing signs of strain. Dry-bulk handling capacity shortfalls have started to emerge, with the Port of Mombasa expected to reach 30 million tons and Dar es Salaam 10 million tons by 2050. In terms of liquid bulk, it is anticipated that the Port of Djibouti will reach 18 million tons, the Mombasa Port 20 million tons, and Dar es Salaam Port 15 million tons by this time,” says André van der Merwe, head of MDPLC Marine Africa. INTERNATIONAL EXPERTISE MDPLC Marine Africa’s UAE-based shareholder, 22-year-old PLC Contracting, has already demonstrated the extent of its marine construction capabilities on several projects in Africa and the Middle East. The company has successfully completed projects for the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority as well as in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Pakistan and Iraq. These included the construction of: Q Q Coastal reclamation and beach reme- dial works Q Q Quay walls and jetties Q Q Piled quay walls and deck-on-pile structures Q Q Breakwaters, causeways and shoreline rock revetments Q Q Operation and logistics of major rock quarries for breakwater and revetment rock Q Q Scour protection and dredging, filling and levelling works Q Q Precast concrete structures, including caissons Q Q Slipways Q Q Concrete repair and rehabilitation Q Q Desalination plant and cooling intake and outfall pipelines Q Q On-shore and off-shore water intake and outfall pipelines and associated infrastructure Q Q Marine pipelines. The company’s ISO certification includes ISO 45001:2018 Health and Safety, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management and ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management. FLAGSHIP PROJECTS These capabilities have been successfully deployed on many flagship projects. This includes the successful delivery of the La Mer Development in Jumeirah, Dubai. The work scope entailed dredging, reclamation, vibro compaction and shore protection works. This is in addition to the formation of new artificial beaches and compensatory artificial fish reef and coral relocation. The project also entailed the construc- tion of new rock revetments around the footprint of the new North, South and Headland Peninsula. It involved the place- ment of 5 million tons of armour rocks World-class marine construction solutions for Africa MDPLC Marine Africa (Pty) Ltd, a newly formed South African company jointly owned by Murray & Dickson Construction Group of South Africa and PLC Contracting LLC of Dubai, is strategically positioned to help Africa strengthen its ports, the continent’s gateways to trade. Dubai Waterfront loading facility