For decades, the people of Nelson Mandela Bay have heard the promise that the tank farm on our prime beachfront will be moved, paving the way for the long-awaited waterfront development.
But years later, the tanks are still there.
The recent announcement by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), inviting bids to fund, design, build, and operate a new liquid bulk terminal at the Port of Ngqura, is a welcome step forward albeit painfully long overdue.
Residents would be forgiven for meeting this news with cautious optimism rather than celebration.
We have heard this song before.
The decommissioning and relocation of both the tank farm and the manganese terminal were supposed to have begun back in 2021. Instead, shifting timelines have become the norm.
TNPA’s latest projection of the tank farm relocated by 2028 and manganese operations moved by 2029 feels far off, especially as the state-owned enterprise keeps shifting the goal posts.
The waterfront development, long mooted, holds the promise of jobs, tourism, and much-needed economic revitalisation for the Bay.
The continued presence of the tank farm undermines these efforts to position itself as an attractive tourism destination.
TNPA’s own plans to add a cruise liner berth at the Port of Port Elizabeth makes little sense when visitors disembark to the sight of industrial tanks.
It is equally important to acknowledge that the relocation to the Port of Ngqura cannot come at the expense of environmental responsibility.
TNPA’s requirement that bidders comply with all environmental, safety and regulatory standards is non-negotiable, especially given plans to handle energy-related commodities, including liquefied natural gas and potentially green fuels.
The promises and proposals must now translate into visible progress.
The request for proposals issued this month sets the clock ticking.
By September 19, bidders must submit their plans and after that, the public will expect firm timelines, transparency, and accountability.
The city cannot afford for this to become yet another chapter in the delayed development of our beachfront to its full potential.
The tanks have overstayed their welcome; it is time for them to be moved.
The Herald
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