German firm to build new Cape oil-rig repair yard

22 March 2006

MAN Ferrostaal today announced a new offshore repair and fabrication yard at Saldanha Bay and Cape Town, which will boost the Western Cape's ambitions of becoming an oil-and-gas hub.

In an investment which will be the biggest offset project delivered in South Africa to date, MAN Ferrostaal announced that it would be constructing offshore oil-and-gas platform repair facilities at Saldanha Bay and Cape Town.

Grinaker LTA, DCD Dorbyl Engineering, DCD Dorbyl Marine, SA Five and Globe Engineering have joined MAN Ferrostaal as joint-venture partners.

Making the announcement at the second South African Oil and Gas conference in Cape Town, MAN Ferrostaal chairperson Matthias Mitscherlich said that it would be the biggest offset project delivered in South Africa to date.

The project would see the refurbishment of the old Mossgas fabrication site at Salhanha and the simultaneous development of the A Berth in Cape Town harbour.

The project would create a world-class repair and fabrication facility, which would create employment and be attractive for the refurbishment of West Africa offshore platforms, which currently had to be towed to the Middle East or Far East to be repaired.

Site construction would take place over the next ten months and the facilities would be able to accommodate repairs in the second quarter of 2007.