Shelley Point Hotel on the Cape West Coast appoints new GM

Three Cities Group has announced the appointment of Desmond O’Connor as new GM of Shelley Point Hotel, Country Club and Spa on the Cape West Coast.

The hotel is one of the properties recently acquired by Three Cities and, with 20 years experience as an hotelier, Desmond brings significant experience & panache to Shelley Point, set on a private peninsula 90 minutes from Cape Town.

Along with nearby white beaches and clear azure water, a links style golf course and luxury spa, Shelley Point Hotel, Country Club & Spa a premier destination on the West Coast.

O’Connor served his three year management apprenticeship with the Karos Group followed by stints at the Indaba Hotel and Conference Centre and the Theatre on Track conference centre in Johannesburg after which he took on the demanding role of banqueting manager at Spier near Stellenbosch for two years.

His next position was that of assistant executive manager at Hôtel Le Vendôme, Sea Point, for two years followed by a move to the Table Bay Hotel, in the V & A Waterfront, where he was F & B manager and deputy GM for five years before accepting a position as the first GM at the Cape Royal Luxury Hotel and Residence (also a five-star establishment).

After a two year period here he opted for a more tranquil lifestyle in the country as GM at Shelley Point Hotel, Spa and Country Club.

“Shelley Point is a particularly exciting challenge because it is, as yet, “undiscovered” and little known to the majority of Capetonians, upcountry travellers and international tourists. Nevertheless, it has the facilities and service standards to satisfy the most demanding of clients.

“We are already the premier Cape West Coast hospitality destination and my job will be to see that a far wider market becomes aware of this. It’s an exciting challenge in a spectacular environment.”

Desmond O'connor

With 44 elegantly decorated en-suite rooms, the traveller may choose from a Studio Suite, Mezzanine suite with loft bedroom and Garden Suite – all emphasizing privacy, space and comfort.

Along with a sun-splashed swimming pool and adjacent club lounge, the hotel also boasts a large, luxurious wellness spa, boutique, hair salon, pro golf shop, a hi-tech gym, tennis courts and fully fledged Kids Club (allowing the guest to take time out on the golf course or in the spa).

The exclusive 4 star Shelley Point Hotel, Country Club & Spa was also designed to host private conferences from 25 to 80 delegates, with its own lounge, meeting rooms, private garden & bar and state of the art presentation facilities.

A second phase is currently underway at Shelley Point Hotel, Country Club & Spa with the construction of a new accommodation block which Desmond says will be “elegant in a Ralph Lauren-style of décor” and opens mid-May.

source http://www.travelwires.com

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West Coast Langebaan Lagoon Festival Paddle Challenge

SUP Race in Langebaan this weekend. We have some spare boards to rent and will be holding demos after the race. Come join in this fun race! Only 6kms and weather is looking perfect for SUPs on Saturday. If you want to reserve a board, contact peter@sup-sulture.co.za See you in Langebaan this weekend! West Coast Lagoon Festival Paddle Challenge 1. WHERE : Registration & Start - Main Beach, Langebaan (in front of Pearlys Restuarant) 2. DATE : SATURDAY 27 MARCH 2010 3. TIME : Reg: 08h00 - 10h00 @ Pearlys Start: Guppies:- 09h00 Short Course:- 10h00 (SUP Paddlers also welcome!) Long Course:- Briefing at 10h30, race won't start before 11h00 4. COURSES : Guppies will be decided on the day according to conditions (+/- 2km’s) Short Course:- 6km's in the protected waters of the Lagoon, start and finish at Main Beach (in front of Pearlys) Long Course:- +/- 12km's, course will be decided on the day, possible Downwind with finishes either at Mykonos or Saldanha PFD's/LIFEJACKETS TO BE WORN BY ALL COMPETITORS! SUP's need to wear shortie wetsuit or full suit. LEASHES, CELL PHONES AND FLARES REQUIRED BY LONG COURSE PADDLERS IF DOWNWIND IS DONE!

5. ENTRY FEE : R50, Guppies R20 (NB: Those guppies not enrolled in the Langebaan Guppie Program must provide their own equipment and be proficient paddlers, those that are part of the Guppie Program must book a boat, paddle and lifejacket with Rob on a first come, first serve basis) 6. PRIZES : There will be R4 000 CASH in prize money, medals for category winners and other lucky draws! News sponsored by West Coast Office National for all your printing & stationery needs.www.pencil.co.za

Langebaan Lagoon festival

Where Langebaan When 2010/03/26 08:00 am to 2010/03/28 05:00 pm Get to the West Coast for one of the wildest music festivals in the Cape. Friday’s awesome line-up of performers includes David Fourie, Wicus vd Merwe, Chereè, Wynand Strydom, Die Broers, Lianie May, Snotkop & Band, Watershed and Ray Dylan. On Saturday Dewald Dippenaar, Anton Botha, Piet Plagiaat, DJ Ossewa, Arno Jordaan, Eden, Jakkie Louw, DR Victor & Rasta Rebels, Juanita, Kurt Darren and Bok van Blerk will be jamming into the early hours. On Sunday Dixie Hillbilly Trio, Freddie Nest, Sasha-lee Davids, Kalahari Orkes, Andries Botha & Nedine Blom, Emo Adams & Band, Bobby van Jaarsveld and Romanz take the stage. How fast are you? Try your skills at the West Coast Lagoon Festival Kite Surfing Challenge, the Hobie Cat Speed Challenge or Kayak race. Apart from theses races and the array of popular musical acts, there will also be many other fun things on the go as well as lots of kids activities to look forward to. Need to know? Venue: Club Mykonos Die Fees word aangebied vanaf 26 tot 28 Maart 2010 in Langebaan en benewens gewilde Musieksterre, word ook baie ander tydverdrywe en pret in die vooruitsig gestel! Contact Person Contact Details 022 772 0654 sunshinepro@mweb.co.za Event website www.weskuslagoonfees.co.za

Source www.safarinow.com

ArcelorMittal in Saldanha Bay could face price increase for iron ore

Details of an "interim pricing arrangement" between iron-ore belligerents ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) and Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) are expected to be concluded in the near term, with detailed discussions on the finer details reaching maturity. Further, an update on the progress regarding the channel through which the two companies would seek to resolve their dispute could also be communicated within days or weeks.

But neither company was willing to elaborate further on Friday on the surprise move by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to grant a prospecting licence in relation to AMSA's "lapsed" 21,4% undivided share of the Sishen mine, which is operated by Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC), which is 74% held by KIO.

KIO has indicated that that it is pursuing its objection to the granting of the right to the little-known Imperial Crown Trading 289 on the basis of the appeal process prescribed in the Mineral And Petroleum Resources Development Act (MRPDA).

It is particularly perplexed by the granting of a prospecting right on a property that has housed an operating mine since 1954, and on the basis of a right that was effectively for an undivided share of the mine.

Both Imperial Crown and SIOC apparently applied for the rights on May 4, 2009, after AMSA failed to convert its rights by the April 30, 2009, deadline, outlined in the Act. But it emerged on Thursday that, despite its application for prospecting and not mining rights, the Imperial Crown application had been favoured by the DMR.

It has since emerged that the company has material links to the African National Congress, South Africa's current governing party.

But the a DMR spokesperson told Engineering News Online that the application for, and the issuance of, the prospecting right were done strictly in accordance with the law, and that a statement explaining the decision would probably be issued early next week.

AMSA, meanwhile, would not comment further on the matter, saying only that it was considering all its legal options, having insisted previously that its rights and an associated supply agreement remained intact.

The supply agreement, which was concluded as part of the 2001 unbundling of the then Iscor, was meant to be a 25-year, but "evergreen" deal guaranteeing AMSA access to 6,25-million tons a year of Sishen ore on a cost plus 3% pricing formula.

However, SIOC notified AMSA on February 5, 2010, that the contract was no longer valid, owing to the steel group's failure to convert its Sishen rights in line with the prescripts of the MRPDA.

PRICE NOT, SUPPLY THE, ISSUE

Material continues to flow from the mine to AMSA's South African mills, with discussion continuing on what price would be charged as from March 1, 2010, onwards - the date on which SIOC "cancelled" the discounted price agreement.

KIO told Engineering News Online that it had not yet invoiced AMSA for March deliveries.

It is widely understood that SIOC is proposing that the interim supply be priced on "commercial terms", with a possible clawback agreement should AMSA prevail during any dispute-resolution process.

In other words, AMSA will be asked to begin paying the yet-to-be-agreed price, which would be materially more than current estimates of between $26/t and $35/t. But SIOC might only redeem what was owing to it in relation to the cost plus 3% arrangement, with the balance going into a separate account.

SIOC would be entitled to the difference should its argument be accepted during arbitration. However, it is not yet certain that the matter will in fact go to arbitration, with both companies still weighing the legal options.

In other words, both parties are treating the award of the prospecting rights to Imperial Crown as separate to their commercial dispute, which resulted in a halt in the trading of AMSA stock, between the afternoon of February 26, 2010, and the afternoon of March 3, 2010, when it was first disclosed.

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Source www.engineeringnews.co.za

Saldanha Bay Liquefied Natural Gas Regasification pipe

Liquefied Natural Gas Regasification and Transmission Facilities, Port of Ngqura, Eastern Cape
The project entails the construction of a liquefied natural gas regasification facility and the three-phase construction of a 
1 926-km pipeline facility for gas transmission from Coega, passing through the Coega industrial development zone. The client is Unigas Import & Export.

Phase 1 of the gas transmission facility involves construction of a 635-km pipeline, with a route that will reach Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, Peddie and East London.

Phase 2 includes the construction of a 511-km pipeline route reaching Mossel Bay, Riversdale, Swellendam, Caledon, Cape Town, Kraaifontein, Bloubergstrand, Atlantis, Swart-land and Saldanha Bay.

Finally, the third phase consists of a 780-km pipeline construction that will extend to East London, Butterworth, Idutywa, Mthatha, Qumbu, Mount Frere, Mount Ayliff, Kokstad, Harding, Port Shepstone, Margate, Scott-burgh, Amanzimtoti, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, KwaMashu, Tongaat, Stanger and Richards Bay.

Phase 1 is expected to be completed in 2013, with phase 2 and phase 3 expected to be completed in 2015 and 2018 respectively.

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Source www.engineeringnews.co.za

ArcelorMittal in Saldanha Bay could be facing iron ore supply problems.

Kumba Iron Ore appears to have dealt steel giant ArcelorMittal South Africa another body blow in the ongoing battle between the two companies.

The Mail & Guardian understands that Kumba has applied for a 21% share in the mining rights to the Sishen mine, which lie at the heart of the corporate bun fight.

The matter is being closely watched as it ultimately goes to the heart of steel pricing in the country and could affect manufacturing and jobs.

Neither company would comment, but they are understood to have entered arbitration to resolve the dispute. To add to ArcelorMittal’s woes an industry insider speculates that the government’s dissatisfaction with its steel pricing, as well as its lack of empowerment status, has left it with little sympathy in the corridors of power.

If Kumba is granted ownership of the minority portion of the rights, which ArcelorMittal held and failed to convert into new order mining rights, this could give Kumba the leverage it needs to force a better price for the 6.25-million tons of iron ore that it supplies to Arcelor-Mittal each year, according to analysts.

The rights have since reverted to the state. “The holder of the right was meant to apply for conversion before April 2009 and they [ArcelorMittal] failed to do so,” said Jeremy Michaels, a spokesperson for the department.

How Kumba’s application will be received is unclear. The department viewed the issue as a dispute between “two private companies”, said Michaels. DMR would not comment on any applications for the rights.

Under a contract negotiated through the unbundling of the state-owned Iscor in 2001 -- which resulted in the creation of what became Kumba Iron Ore, its ironore mining arm, and ArcelorMittal South Africa -- ArcelorMittal, because of its share of the mining rights in Sishen, would receive 6.25-million tonnes of ore from the Sishen mine at cost plus 3%.

The mining rights, viewed as undivided, are 79% owned by Kumba through its subsidiary the Sishen Iron Ore company, with the minority share or 21% lying with ArcelorMittal. ArcelorMittal paid R2.5-billion at the time for the rights to Sishen and the 6.25-million tonnes of ore a year at cost plus 3%

On February 26 ArcelorMittal suspended trading of its shares after Sishen notified the company on February 5 that it would no longer be supplying ArcelorMittal with ore at the preferential price, but rather at market-related prices.

It is understood that Kumba viewed ArcelorMittal’s failure to convert its share of the mining rights as an opportunity to amend the deal unilaterally. A prior arbitration ruling on a related matter is believed to have given it the impetus to do so.

In the development of the Sishen South project -- an extension of the Sishen mine -- ArcelorMittal had assumed a matching arrangement (cost plus 3%) on the output of Sishen South. Kumba disputed this.

The matter went to arbitration and late last year it was ruled that, because ArcelorMittal did not own the mining rights in this matter, it was not entitled to a similar deal.

But ArcelorMittal is understood to take a different view, which is that, on the division of the Sishen mining rights, Kumba, owning the majority share, would deal with the regulatory issues, including mining-rights applications and conversions. Mittal re-opened trading of its shares last week, with a reported 23% drop in the price.

The very sweet price granted to ArcelorMittal has been a sore point for the South African government.

On Iscor’s unbundling, facilitated by the department of trade and industry, under Alec Erwin, the price granted was, in part, aimed at locking in lower costs for the local steel industry and ensuring its competitiveness. But ArcelorMittal has been accused of not passing on the benefits of these prices to local customers.

Instead, it opted to benchmark its price against a basket of countries, which critics argue is closer to import prices and ensures Arcelor- Mittal retains extensive profits. Its pricing saw the company being dragged to the Competition Tribunal and slapped with just under R700-million in fines. But it challenged the ruling and subsequently settled with the complainants.

ArcelorMittal has long denied the accusations, citing rebates to customers that allow them to export competitively as one example of the support it provides to customers.

According to Matt Brenzel, portfolio manager at Cadiz Securities, a victory for Kumba might not affect local steel prices. Instead, a better price for Kumba would ideally affect only ArcelorMittal’s profit margins.

Brenzel estimated that ArcelorMittal was receiving ore from Sishen at roughly R125/tonne. Compared with an export parity price of around R475/tonne ArcelorMittal stood to earn more than R2-billion a year from the deal.

He noted that if Kumba did get ArcelorMittal’s share of the rights, the company would achieve little besides room to negotiate for a better price.

In terms of off-take, ArcelorMittal was the only real customer that Kumba had for the ore, given the constraints on the rail line to transport ore to Saldanha Bay for export, he said. Aside from pricing issues Arcelor-Mittal’s failure to strike an empowerment deal is also seen as an irritation to some sectors of government.

ArcelorMittal is one of the largest suppliers of steel to a number of companies, including mining houses. Under the mining charter, companies are expected to procure goods from BEE-compliant suppliers.

One industry insider argued that, with ArcelorMittal being one of the largest suppliers of such a key input, it has meant the transformation performance of miners is looking increasingly bad.

ArcelorMittal had apparently planned to undertake a BEE deal but this was put on hold because of the financial crisis and the recession that followed.


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Source http://www.mg.co.za

Superloads At Saldanha Port

CONCARGO was commissioned by World Groupage Services (a sea freight and forwarding company) to handle the transportation of a bucket wheel reclaimer and two ore stackers from Saldanha Port to a mine in Postmasburg. The total distance is approximately 850 km.

The total shipment weighed in at 840 tons and measured 6 200 cubic meters. Sixty-three trucks were loaded totransport the equipment of which 42 are abnormal out-of-gauge loads, four of which were superloads up to 9.54 meters wide. These had to be loaded onto a mix of 100 ton lowbeds, step decks and extendable trailers. The balance of the loads was made up of tri-axles and superlinks truck tractor articulated vehicles.

The shipment arrived in Saldanha Port on 6 November from the Far East on a special charter vessel. It was the biggest project shipment ever handled by the Port so far.

The abnormal load project was no small task as it was subject to the issuing of permits by the Department of Transport and Public Works. The loads needed to be staggered in such a way to keep the disruption of general traffic flows to a minimum. Provincial traffic escorts were required to ensure the safety of other road users. The most challenging part of the route was Piekenierskloof Pass. Route surveys and traffic accommodation plans had to be carried out prior to the transportation of the larger loads, and in the case of the superloads, periodical closure of the roads were necessary.

Source http://www.cbn.co.za

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