A PROPOSED R20-billion Pechiney aluminium smelter in the Coega Industrial Development Zone will generate over 1,6-million tons of cargo a year for the port of Ngqura. A record of Decision issued in December 2002 has given the go-ahead to the construction of the smelter. According to a specialist study on materials handling prepared by the CSIR, the smelter will produce between 485 000 and 500 000 tons of aluminium ingots a year. These will be transported to the harbour from the plant in specialised trucks on a dedicated road. The major raw materials required for the smelting process are fresh alumina, calcined petroleum coke, aluminium fluoride and liquid coal tar pitch. Approximately 931 000 tons of alumina a year will be imported to Port of Ngqura in dedicated ships as solid bulk fine material. Vacuum/suction unloaded at the Port then transported to sealed holding silos at Aluminium Pechiney by closed belt conveyer. Some 180 000 tons of calcined petroleum coke will be imported through Ngqura in dedicated ships as solid bulk. About 38 000 tons of liquid pitch will be imported as hot liquid bulk. It will be off-loaded using a liquid pitch off-loading facility. The pitch will be stored at the Port in a specialised storage vessel and transported to the Aluminium Pechiney site by road tanker. Aluminium fluoride will be imported in one ton bulker bags or 25kg layer bags. The 8 800 tons of fluoride consumed a year by the plant will be off-loaded using general cargo facilities and then transported to the smelter by truck for storage and use. Existing storage facilities in the port of Port Elizabeth will be used for the 31 800 tons of heavy fuel oil that will be consumed each year. Construction has already begun on the new deep-water port, and the site is being prepared for the Pechiney smelter. The company is expected to make a final decision on its proposed South African investment early in 2003.