Syncrolift back in action

The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) officially re-opened the Walvis Bay Syncrolift facility on Wednesday. Namport's port engineer Elzevir Gelderbloem said the Syncrolift, which had been operating below capacity for two years since an incident on 31 May 2015, was fully restored at a cost of N$10 million and could once again operate at its designed 2 000-ton lifting capacity. A cable of one of the lift platform's winch motors snapped and a main beam collapsed while lifting Paraclete, a fishing vessel, out of the water. This caused considerable damage to two the main beams and a grillage section. Kraatz Marine and several other local companies under Namport's supervision and instruction commenced and conducted stabilisation and emergency repairs of the platform immediately after the incident. The Syncrolift became operational during June 2014 but with a reduced capacity because two of the main beams were not functional. Apart from the on-going repairs to the facility, this was also the first time that the side-transfer system was dismantled and refurbished. This was the first major shutdown and repairs effected in the history of the Syncrolift. The Syncrolift was built in 1972 and commissioned in 1973 for commercial use.Gelderbloem gave the assurance that the tedious process was not due to a lack of urgency, but ascribed it to red tape, which the port authority could unfortunately not get around and much-needed refurbishment on the side-transfer system, something which had never been done on such a large scale before.“Namport has full appreciation for the importance of the Syncrolift for the industry, the community of Walvis Bay and country at large. We will not allow the facility to be closed down or fall into disrepair and will continue to maintain and repair it whenever the need arises.”This was the third time that the same Namport and Kraatz Marine teams worked on a major Syncrolift rehabilitation project and this makes the team probably the most experienced Syncrolift repair team in Africa. OTIS FINCK

Syncrolift back in action

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Syncrolift back in action

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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