{"id":3486,"date":"2026-06-03T18:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T16:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/?p=3486"},"modified":"2026-06-03T18:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T16:40:13","slug":"minister-barbara-creecy-launches-lng-terminal-at-port-of-ngqura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/?p=3486","title":{"rendered":"Minister Barbara Creecy Launches LNG Terminal at Port of Ngqura"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a landmark moment for South Africa\u2019s energy and logistics landscape, the Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy, presided over the signing of the Terminal Operator Agreement (TOA) between the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the Ukwanda LNG Group at the Port of Ngqura, in Gqeberha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agreement signals a decisive leap forward in the nation\u2019s pursuit of energy security, economic resilience, and a just energy transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday marks a decisive step in South Africa\u2019s journey towards energy security, infrastructure development, economic growth, and a sustainable energy future,\u201d Minister Creecy said in her keynote address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Minister highlighted that the agreement follows her issuance of a Section 79 directive, which authorised the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) to build and operate an onshore Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification facility within the Port of Ngqura. The project will introduce LNG to the South African market as a practical, lower-carbon alternative energy source, bridging the gap between coal dependency and a fully renewable future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs our country continues to face growing energy demands and the urgent need for reliable power generation, LNG presents a practical and necessary transition energy that can support economic activity while reducing our carbon intensity,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Port of Ngqura, already recognised as a world-class deep-water port, is now set to become a strategic hub for gas-to-power project pipelines and integrated infrastructure development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur ports are not merely gateways for trade,\u201d the Minister stated. \u201cThey are strategic assets that must facilitate industrialisation, regional integration, and economic resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new infrastructure will unlock both marine and landside development, catalysing investment, creating jobs, and stimulating industrial growth across the Eastern Cape and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minister also noted complementary developments such as the Ngqura Manganese Export Corridor PSP, which will integrate rail and port operations to boost bulk export efficiency. While not directly linked to the LNG terminal, the broader port infrastructure upgrades will enhance overall capacity and competitiveness, including the planned shift of manganese exports from Gqeberha to Ngqura by 2032.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The LNG terminal project has been formally recognised as one of South Africa\u2019s 12 priority infrastructure projects, announced in March 2024, and has been granted Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) status by Infrastructure South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is not merely symbolic,\u201d Minister Creecy emphasised. \u201cIt affirms the urgency and importance of accelerating implementation and ensuring coordination across all spheres of government and industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concluding her address, the Minister commended the TNPA, Ukwanda LNG Group, and all stakeholders for their speed and collaboration in reaching this milestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis project represents more than infrastructure,\u201d she said. \u201cIt represents confidence in South Africa\u2019s future. It demonstrates what can be achieved when government entities, state-owned companies, and the private sector work together with a shared purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the ceremony drew to a close, Minister Creecy left the assembled partners with a clear call to action:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet us remain focused on delivery, collaboration, and accountability. The success of this project will not only be measured by infrastructure built, but by the opportunities created, the energy secured, and the contribution made towards a more sustainable and inclusive economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a landmark moment for South Africa\u2019s energy and logistics landscape, the Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy, presided over the signing of the Terminal Operator Agreement (TOA) between the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3497,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3486"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3486"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3496,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3486\/revisions\/3496"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transport.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}