History was made in the Eastern Cape on Monday when the first ship to use the R10-billion Coega harbour officially entered the new port after a decade of planning, building and controversy.

The sky may have been overcast, but the mood on the quayside was sunny as the 300m London-based MSC Catania sailed in at 11.30am. It is officially the port's first "paying customer".

"It's a dream come true," Transnet Port Authority chief executive Kuomotso Phihlela said.

"Planing and building the harbour was a daunting task and the arrival of the first vessel to use Ngqura on a commercial basis marks the culmination of seven years of hard work.

"At times during the construction phase there were up to 2500 workers, employed by 103 contractors, on site each day. The port has created 200 permanent jobs, with operators now trained and ready to provide world-class service."

Construction began in 2002

Planning began in the late 1990s and construction began in 2002.

Also delighted with the arrival was Mandela Bay-based Transnet Port Terminals divisional executive Siya Mhlaluka.

"It has been a wonderful team effort and proof that we have delivered on what we promised, despite cynicism from some quarters," he said.

While not being specific, he was obviously referring to comments made since the plan was first announced in 1998 that it would be a "white elephant" and never achieve commercial viability. It was described as an "Eastern Cape pipe-dream".

Former Transnet executive in Port Elizabeth Nosipho Damasane, who is now chief operating officer of Transnet Port Terminals and whose involvement goes back to the early days of the project, was also at the port to see the arrival.

"We have spent time and resources marketing Ngqura to international shipping agencies and the arrival of the MSC Catania is a sign to them that their faith in the harbour is well founded."

She spent time at the headquarters of MSC shipping in Geneva, Switzerland, two weeks ago, finalising arrangements for the docking.

Transnet to increase capacity

The port can accommodate ships with a draft of 15.5m, enabling it to handle new-generation container vessels.

"This will enable Transnet to increase capacity for container volumes and attract additional transhipment cargo," Transnet Port Terminals chief executive Tau Morwe said at the quayside.

The port would be able to accommodate ultra- mega ships carrying 60 00 to 10 000 twenty- foot-equivalent containers (TEUs).

"It will be able to handle in excess of 100 container moves per ship working hour with stack and berth capacity to cater for future growth of up to two million TEUs," Morwe added.

The Catania, carrying a load of general containers, was scheduled to arrive late last week, but adverse weather in and around Durban had delayed its expected arrival at Ngqura.

It leaves for Cape Town and Europe on Tuesday.

The Herald

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