Talk is cheap but shiny new infrastructure speaks a thousand words.
Fortunately Transnet is putting money where its mouth is at four dry dock facilities in Durban and Cape Town, with 37 newly-installed capstans – a significant milestone for the ship repair sector.
Transnet says the R200-million capstan replacement project is now complete, a move aimed at enhancing productivity at its largest and busiest ports.
“A capstan is a driven 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,” Transnet said in a statement issued this week. “TNPA initiated the replacement project following a condition assessment that identified a need to upgrade all capstans due to frequent breakdowns, ageing, and unavailability of maintenance spares. The new capstans are equipped with hydraulic systems and Human Machine Interface (HMI), a novel feature, demonstrating TNPA’s ability to leverage technology to enhance operational efficiency in line with maritime industry best practice.”