The extent of the project is unprecedented, facing 1,400m of new quay wall, 127 hectares (314 acres) of new terminal, 3550m new break water, and four deep-water berths for container ships with up to 16m draught and 20,000TEU capacity. The new gigantic terminal will have a major economic impact on Tema Port as the regional hub port for West and Central Africa as well as beyond.
The project is special with its size and total fender and bollard quantity alone. SFT delivered 107 SPC 1300 Cone Fender Systems and 144nos. 150t T Head bollards. Since the rubber units are mostly standardized in the industry, the main engineering and design challenge lies with the steel panels, chains, and the corresponding anchorage. Only when all components are designed in the correct balance and work together properly, the fender system will perform as expected. All steps of fender design go hand in hand and influence each other. SFT’s expertise, experience, and holistic approach to fender system design ensure reliable, safe and efficient operations for ports.
With the advanced design and value engineering of the fender systems, SFT was able to find the best technical and economical solution for Tema Port. SFT’s optimisation of the fender design saved the client several million dollars. The initial design proposal by another manufacturer was not efficient for the client and SFT was asked by the client to provide a sound value engineering solution. Our role goes beyond that of a designer and manufacturer. We consider our clients part of the team, supporting them as partners and providing excellent products as well as technical expertise.
The first two of four new berths will be opened for commercial vessels by the end of June 2019, which puts a head start on the scheduled completion of the project in 2020, with SFT delivering the fender systems between March 2018 and fall 2019. We are excited to be part of Tema Port’s success story, with our fenders being elements of its foundation.