Location KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Project Owner/s The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), divisions of freight logistics company Transnet. Project Description The Port of Durban handles about 64% of the country’s seaborne cargo, with the Durban Container Terminal (DCT) being the biggest and busiest in the southern hemisphere. Transnet is implementing an ambitious expansion project at the Durban port and its container terminals, comprising several individual work packages, to increase the DCT’s container-handling capacity. The main projects include the expansion of the DCT Pier 1, which aims to increase the capacity of the terminal to 2.4-million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This includes the Salisbury Island project, also known as the Pier 1 Phase 2 Infill project. The TNPA also plans to deepen berths 203, 204 and 205 at the DCT, which could raise the capacity of Pier 2 from 2.4-million TEUs to 2.9-million TEUs. The berths will be deepened from 12.8 m to 16.5 m and lengthened from 914 m to 1 210 m to enable the DCT to handle three 350 m vessels simultaneously. The projects are expected to increase the DCT’s capacity from 3.6-million TEUs to about 5.3-million TEUs. Capacity is also being created at other terminals, such as the Durban Ro-Ro and Maydon Wharf terminals, through the acquisition of new equipment, including mobile cranes and various infrastructure upgrades. At Maydon Wharf, six berths – 1 to 4 and 13 to 14 – are being rebuilt and deepened. Once completed, the berths will have a draught of 14.5 m, enabling them to handle vessels with draughts up to 13 m, making these berths the deepest in the Port of Durban. However, the Maydon Wharf access channel will still need to be deepened to allow for deeper-draught vessels to sail in fully laden. The project to rebuild and repair all six berths at Maydon Wharf had been expected to be completed by 2018. Transnet is further proposing the phased development of the so-called Durban Dig-Out Port at the old Durban International Airport (DIA) site, besides other projects. Potential Job Creation Not stated. Capital Expenditure The project forms part of Transnet’s larger R340-billion to R380-billion ten-year rolling Market Demand Strategy. Funding for the new dig-out port at the DIA has not been included in the strategy. Planned Start/End Date Ongoing.
Contact Details for Project Information TNPA acting corporate affairs manager Nompumelelo Kunene, tel +27 31 361 8973 or email nompumelelo.kunene2@transnet.net.
