The design of the project is well advanced and confirmation of Bombela now opens the way for commencement of physical site work. The financial contract is likely to be concluded within months.

At current pricing levels, the R20 billion cost estimate for the Gautrain project will potentially add about R4,5 billion to the order book of Murray & Roberts over a five year period.

“Although the award process was delayed, our collective objective is still to complete a substantial portion of the project by 2010,” says Murray & Roberts CE Brian Bruce.

Pebble Bed Modular Reactor
Murray & Roberts has been confirmed as the implementation partner for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) demonstration plant, together with long term partner, SNC Lavalin.

Construction is scheduled to commence in 2007 and will offer significant new opportunity to a number of Murray & Roberts companies over a three year period. Subject to licensing, the multi-unit rollout programme is expected to extend for a further 20 years.

While nuclear power has long carried safety concerns, the current thinking is that it offers one of the few sustainable options for energy into the future. Safety remains a concern, but the pebble bed model has the lowest safety risks. The waste is stored within the facility in a sealed environment.

The recent decision by Toshiba to acquire Westinghouse from British Nuclear Fuels in a $5,4 billion transaction is viewed as a key indicator of the future potential of nuclear power as a global energy source. In its media statement on 6 February 2006, Toshiba stated: “The nuclear plant industry expects to see consistent growth in coming years. By 2020, the global market for nuclear power generation is expected to grow by 50% compared to today.”

The project is a 120 kilometre emergency water transfer scheme from the Vaal Dam to Bosjiespruit near Secunda, primarily for Eskom and Sasol.

The steel pipeline is 1,9 metres in diameter and will be supplied by the Vulindlela joint venture, which includes Murray & Roberts company, Hall Longmore.

Approximately 6 600 steel pipes will be delivered to six sites during the period of construction and about 65 000 tons of steel will be used in the production process. The project will include road, rail and stream crossings as well as the construction of a structural steel bridge across the Waterval River.

Strict controls have been implemented on site to ensure that all aspects of health, safety and environmental management are addressed. Targets have been set for monitoring and compliance. Completion of the full project is scheduled for October 2007.

Coalink
After three years of intense negotiation, Murray & Roberts, in partnership with Mitsui and Toshiba, has been awarded a five year R1 billion contract to supply new locomotives for the Coalink corridor between Ermelo and Richards Bay.

The Coalink upgrade project is part of the Spoornet Main Line Locomotive Investment Programme and involves the supply of 110 class 19E locomotives.

Murray & Roberts company, The UCW Partnership (UCWP), will be responsible for the overall mechanical design, systems integration, fabrication and assembly of the locomotives, while Toshiba will design, develop and supply the electrical propulsion equipment.  Toshiba engineers will work closely with the UCWP team here in South Africa during the design, build and commissioning phases of the project.

The locomotives will be delivered between November 2007 and March 2011 and the project will create about 500 new jobs for UCWP and its supply chain in South Africa.

The 19E locomotive encompasses many years of proven railway technology and the latest technologies available in the freight rolling stock field. UCWP has produced 2 227 locomotives since its establishment in 1957, 2 143 of which were supplied to Spoornet.

UCWP has also submitted a tender for the supply of locomotives for the Sishen/Saldanha iron ore Orex corridor. This tender is being adjudicated by Spoornet.

The contract involves the manufacture and transport of 6 400 tons of structural steel. A heavily congested site and strict deadlines have been managed by a monitoring system developed by Genrec and 850 000 man-hours have been completed by MEI without a single lost time injury or environmental case.

The project comprises 197 luxury apartments on four levels of parkade, a retail centre, a four level office block and a 160 room hotel.

The completion dates are phased over a period from June to September 2007. The project is currently proceeding well and is on schedule.

The development consists of a new shopping mall and alterations and additions to an existing shopping centre.

The project is proceeding well but the scheduled completion date in February 2007 is likely to be extended after a slow start due to “dubious” bulk earthworks by direct contractors.