Heritage Cases

1. The purpose of the memorandum is to seek approval from KwaZulu-Natal Amafa and Research Institute for the demolition of Ocean Terminal Building which is one of the buildings in the Ocean Terminal Complex which is located at T Jetty in the Port of Durban. BACKGROUND 2. The Ocean Terminal Building (OTB) located at M Berth was built to provide a large multi-storey marine terminal complex with terminal hall for cruise liners, cargo areas, precooling stores, storage sheds, restaurants. In 1958, the South African Railways and Harbours (SAR&H) awarded the contract for a new Ocean Terminal Complex to Zakrzewski & Partners Consulting Engineers. 3. From 1958 to 1962 design and construction began on the buildings and Janusc Warunkiewicz was appointed in 1959 as the project architect by Zakrzewski & Partners. It was a multilevel complex approximately 800m long x 100m, accessible to vehicles with bridge access, ramps, stairways and roof level parking. The massive concrete structure stretched from H-bridge to the decorative staircase on the corner of T- Jetty and accommodated general cargo and pre-cooling facilities for export of fruit. 4. The Ocean Terminal Complex comprises M shed (ground floor and first floor), L shed (ground and first floor), Ocean Terminal Building and parking (roof level), Durmarine Building, OTB south stairway and OTB roof parking area. 5. By the early 1970’s the complex and OTB was underutilised due to the air travel. In 1987, the then Portnet’s Port Engineers decided that OTB should either be demolished and the space be used for cargo handling; or converted to offices for the Portnet staff. 6. In 1988, the decision was taken to convert the underutilized OTB into offices for 300 Portnet staff. The passenger terminal operation was relocated to N-Shed and the passenger terminal hall was converted into offices. 7. From the 1990’s to the present day, there have been numerous additions and alterations to the Ocean Terminal Building (OTB) and surrounds. The complex of buildings has responded to port management changes, dynamics of terminal operational and technological advances. 8. Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) in the Port of Durban have been investigating options to increase cargo-handling space. The planning strategy is to keep operational activity along the quayside and omit non-operational activities like administration areas to other non-operational areas that cannot be used for cargo handling. 9. In 2021, the Durban Hub Strategy proposed the conversion of the Point area from D to G Berths for Container Terminal Operations. This strategy supports the market demand for increase in container handling operations in the Port of Durban. 10. The proposed container operations in the Point area impacts the footprint of the car terminal in the Point and reduces the car terminal operations from 13000 to 7000, which is a reduction of 6000 parking bays. This limits car terminal footprint and operations to T-jetty and Cato Creek area. The Fresh Produce terminal (FPT) will remain at T-jetty until the lease expires in 2027. A new parking garage is proposed on this site. 11. As part of the Hub strategy, by 2022, TNPA operations including the TNPA administration offices, helicopter helipad and port security will vacate T-jetty to provide space for car terminal operations to expand into T-jetty which is prime terminal operational area. 12. The Ocean Terminal Complex and OTB will be vacant and freed for cargo handling and storage.This will assist with the phased move of cars out of Cato Creek area for the construction of a new Parking garage for 3000 bays. 13. This is the first phase of relocation of car terminal operations which will create 3000 additional parking bays at T-jetty. The loss in car terminal parking footprint requires space in close proximity to car terminal operations in the terminal. The new parking garage is proposed in the Cato Creek area will provide additional car stacks for 3000 bays by 2024 to start clearing F and G Berth for containers. 14. The Ocean Terminal Complex and multi level areas are suitable for car terminal operations. The parking floors can be used to block stack cars. Currently, the ground floor of L-Shed and M shed are leased to Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) for use for block stacks of cars for export and import. 15. Following the recommendation of Amafa, TNPA appointed a heritage practitioner, Lindsay Napier, in May 2021 to undertake a Grading assessment of the Ocean Terminal Complex which is now 60 years old and protected under the Heritage Act. 16. The KwaZulu-Natal Heritage Act provides the following protection: Section 33 General Protection: Structures, - (1)(a) No Structure which is, or can reasonably be expected to be older than 60 years, may be demolished, altered or added to without the prior written approval of the [Amafa] Council. 17. At the Amafa HOC meeting on the 14th June 2021, Lindsay Napier presented the grading report. The OTB complex was graded of Grade IIIA, which refers to a building of local significance listed in the municipal Town Planning Scheme. The complex of buildings were rated as follows: • L and M-Sheds are rated significant in their structural and material condition, L-shed holds the history of the Cooling system within its structure. Architectural detail is limited to the North façade of L-Shed only. • The Ocean Terminal and Durmarine Buildings are rated with high significance across all criteria, but low on environmental, historical and cultural significance. • The South service stair structure rates high on architectural detail due to its sculptural screen, but its remote location from the Terminal building means that its value could be viewed as an independent feature DISCUSSION 18. Following the grading report, TNPA have considered options for the repurposing of the Ocean Terminal complex. 19. As proposed by the Durban Hub Strategy, the Ocean Terminal Complex will be used for car operations and parking stacks as follows: Current (approx.) bays Proposed bays TOTAL bays M shed 600 1000 1600 L Shed 300 300 + 300 900 OTB footprint –M 0 500 500 OTB – M roof deck 0 500 500 TOTAL 900 2600 3800 • M shed (ground floor and first floor) approximately 1600 bays • L shed (ground and first floor, roof) will be used for car stacks approximately 900 bays; • Ocean Terminal Building (M- shed roof level) 500 bays for car stacks, • OTB roof parking area for 500 bays • Durmarine Building will remain as is for TPT operational use as the parking in this area is limited, • OTB south stairway will remain 20. This proposal provides approximately 2600 additional bays in the complex, (including 500 parking bays in the OTB footprint). 21. An additional 450 bays is proposed in N-shed, outside N-shed and in open areas adjacent OTB. 22. The option to re-use and re-purpose OTB building for car stacks will require the demolition of the existing mezzanine office level, concrete infills at staircases and shall yield at most 200 parking bays. 23. The re-use of the building for 200 parking bays versus the additional 500 bays if demolished is not considered viable for business. New cars are best stacked in clear open areas to avoid damages. 24. The total area that will be made available in the current footprint of the OTB, is equivalent to approximately 2 600 parking bays and this translates into the theoretical throughput in excess of 104 000 units per annum. 25. The landside capacity is 520 000 units per annum. The actual number of units handled during the 2019/2020 financial year is 510 000 and this is very close to the landside capacity, as this marks the limitation of the number of units that can be handled. 26. The corporate plan forecasts for the auto sector indicates that volumes through the Port of Durban would reach 534, 885 by 2024/2025 and 672,746 by 2031/2032. In terms of the latest cargo demand projections, the available landside capacity will be exceeded by 2024/2025 and warrants an urgent need to find an additional space for automotive storage and handling within the Port. 27. If additional landside capacity is not created, the OEMs/Car Manufacturers may be forced to relocate from the Port of Durban to other Ports such as East London, Port Elizabeth or even the Port of Maputo. 28. This may result in dire consequences for the economy of KZN or the country. The Port of Durban may also lose cargo dues revenue which is in the order of R260m per annum. 29. As stated above, space can be freed up to allow for cargo handling and storage. This will create the required additional capacity for future demand. 30. In order to achieve this, TNPA proposes that the OTB be demolished and the existing footprint be paved up to convert it into a terminal area/automotive storage. 31. In addition to this, the space that is currently used by TNPA personnel for parking will also become available to be used as automotive storage. 32. For the past 20 years, the Ocean Terminal Complex has been used primarily for port related activities. As highlighted in the heritage practitioners report, the complex rated low on environmental, historical and cultural significance. It is not envisaged that the general public will have access to the complex in the future due to the port expansion and strict port security regulations. 33. The grading report rated the complex high for architectural significance and structural value. To support this TNPA has proposed that most of the OTB complex will remain intact. The only building in the complex that is proposed to be demolished is OTB which is required for increase in cargo handling space. 34. Durmarine, L-Shed, M-shed and the south stair will remain intact. There are plans to refurbish Durmarine shortly and replace the Durmarine south façade due to water leaks. 35. The need for additional space is further necessitated by the relocation of the auto terminal to create additional footprint for containerised cargo as proposed in the port master plan. 36. The plan will enhance the attractiveness of the Port of Durban to shipping lines and establish the port as a hub port that will not only serve South Africa, but to service also SADC and the Southern Hemisphere. 37. The multiplier effect of this plan is its contribution to the socio economic transformation imperatives through local supplier development, job creation and community upliftment to areas surrounding the port. 38. With guidance from Amafa, TNPA shall restore the artwork and sculpture, and relocate these to a site identified by Amafa. TNPA has proposed the new Passenger Terminal in the Point AB berth for the relocation of artworks. 39. With respect to the grading report, which grades the OTB Complex as Grade IIIA, it must be noted that this building is currently not listed by the municipality as a building of local significance in the municipal Town Planning Scheme. It is however protected by the KwaZulu-Natal Heritage Act. RECOMMENDATION 1. It is requested that KwaZulu-Natal AMAFA and Research Institute grants TNPA Port of Durban permission to demolish the Ocean Terminal Building in the Ocean Terminal Complex located at T-jetty in the Port of Durban, for operational purposes. Submitted by: _____________________________ Moshe Motlohi General Manager: Port of Durban TNPA