Case Decision - 197311

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) would like to thank you for submitting the updated Background Information Document (BID) for the proposed Ara Gas Pipeline Network located in Saldanha Bay, Saldanha Bay Local Municipality, West Coast District Municipality, Western Cape Province. 
A BID was initially uploaded onto SAHRIS in September 2021 and the MUCH unit at SAHRA issued a comment in October 2021. The project specifications have subsequently been amended and no longer includes a proposed FSRU and associated pipeline located in St Helena Bay. An updated BID has now been uploaded and SAHRA has reviewed the revised project. 
The comment issued in October 2021 in regard to the proposed work in Saldanha Bay still stands and is reiterated below: 
As part of the Environmental Authorisation process a Scoping Report and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be completed. The BID has already identified that a Heritage Assessment is to be undertaken as part of the process, and SAHRA supports this. It must be noted that the heritage assessment must include a maritime and underwater cultural heritage assessment undertaken on the parts of the project located below the high-water mark. 
The proposed gas pipeline located in Saldanha Bay is to be used to transport natural gas from the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) to the processing plant on land. Saldana Bay has a rich maritime history with numerous wrecks recorded as being lost in the bay. 
Due to the possibility that heritage resources may be present along the proposed routes of the gas pipeline network, the heritage impact assessment must include a specialist study of maritime and underwater cultural heritage to be undertaken by a suitably qualified Maritime Archaeologist.