Saldanha Dry Bulk Terminal

Client: Saldanha Dry Bulk Terminal (Pty) Ltd

Location: 8.5 km north of the existing Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal

Duration: 8 months

Period: 2023

Scope of Works

• Construction of 30TAL single balloon track, including a 200m track slab.

• Execution of extensive mass earthworks and pavement layers to S410 standards.

• Construction of drainage culverts, signage, and ancillary works.

• Supply and installation of 4 No. turnouts and 2 No. level crossings.

• Flash butt and thermit welding of rails into continuous lengths.

• Ballasting and tamping of track and turnouts.

• Upliftment, sorting, and stacking of redundant 48kg track infrastructure.

Key Challenges

• Managing works in close proximity to an operational port corridor and existing rail yard.

• Accelerated securing, procurement and logistics of the permanent way materials with rails and turnout components ex Europe.

• Delivering large-scale earthworks and track construction within a constrained 8‑month programme.

• Coordinating multiple work streams (earthworks, track, slab track, culverts, crossings) under a compressed timeline, whilst dealing with interface challenges with Transnet & Eskom.

• Maintaining strict compliance with environmental and safety regulations in a sensitive coastal zone.

Solutions & Innovations

• Staged methodology allowing efficient sequencing of earthworks, track laying, and ancillary works.

• Deployment of WOT’s civils construction equipment and on-track plant fleet.

• Integration of WOT’s civil and track teams for streamlined delivery.

• Robust stakeholder engagement with EPCM engineers, Transnet and Eskom to mitigate interface risks.

Outcome & Benefits

• Successful delivery of a strategic new balloon siding to transship manganese and other dry bulk commodities.

• Enhanced logistics chain efficiency, enabling offloading of 125‑wagon trains.

• Demonstrated WOT’s ability to deliver fast‑track heavy-haul rail projects within tight timeframes.

• Strengthened reputation as a trusted contractor for mining and port‑linked rail infrastructure.

• Maintained compliance with ISO9001 and environmental standards, achieving safe delivery without major incidents.

• Notably, although this project was fast‑tracked from February 2023 in Saldanha, WOT was awarded the BRMO project a month later and successfully ran both projects simultaneously, underscoring the company’s capacity to execute major works simultaneously.