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Transnet National Ports Authority

Our Ports

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Port of East London

Strategically positioned to act as the gateway between Africa and the global market.


Port Overview

The Port of East London is situated at the mouth of the Buffalo River and is the only commercial river port on the South African coast line.

Centrally located both nationally and internationally, the port is strategically positioned to act as the gateway between Africa and the global market.

The Port of East London’s geographical position gives its customers easy access to world markets, while reputation for excellent turnaround times is renowned.


Fast Fact (Container Terminal)

The container terminal has an annual throughput capacity of 90 000 TEU. The stacking area is designed for 1,360 TEU ground slots as well as 42 reefer points for the handling of reefer containers.

Fast Fact (Grain Elevator)

The Port offers the largest bulk-handling facility for free-flowing grain products in South Africa. Vessels are loaded using a skip operation with a loading rate of 8000 tons per day. The terminal throughput capacity is in the region of 2 million tons per annum.

The elevator which is linked to all major maize growing areas, has 83 silos with a total storage capacity of 76 000 tons. An import belt on the quayside allows for import and export to take place simultaneously. The belt has an intake rate of 250 tons per hour. Total quay length at the berth is 388.


Fast Fact (Motor Vehicle Terminal)

Situated on the West Bank on the Buffalo River is the jewel of the East London port, the multi-level vehicle terminal. This facility is a first for South Africa with a proud history of excellent turnaround times and zero defects on ship loading and unloading.

Boasting world class standards, the terminal has a Noscar NO SA rating for safety whilst also being recognized by NOSA in their awards for International Winner Transport and Storage SHE Integrated System 2003, a winner in the Transport Storage and communication category and again for Best Integrated Occupational Health Program.

Commodities

Automotive, Containers, Liquid Bulk, Dry Bulk, General Breakbulk

In addition to these facilities, the port caters for the ship repair industry with a drydock capable of accommodating vessels up to 200 metres in length.



Port of Port Elizabeth

The Port of Port Elizabeth operates within the South African port system, providing services to its target market comprising port users, which include terminal operators, shipping lines, cargo owners, as well as clearing and forwarding agents.


Port Overview

A geographically well position, customer centric, multi cargo port that prides itself on flexibility and service excellence. Your gateway to opportunities.


Fast Fact

Asset base: R6.5 Bn • Number of Berths: 15 • Number of Terminal Operators: 10 Terminal Operators

Fleet: • 2 Tug Boats • 1 Workboat • 1 Boat Hoist

Commodities

Containers • Liquid Bulk • Dry Bulk • Automotive • Breakbulk



Port of Ngqura

The Port of Ngqura is a world-class deepwater container transhipment hub that has been dubbed the heartbeat of the Eastern Cape economy.


Port Overview

Situated in Algoa Bay, 20 km north-east of Port Elizabeth, it is the newest port in the South African port system midway between Durban and Cape Town. This industrial port, which became operational in 2009, is located in the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

The port currently handles just over 6 million tons of cargo per year – over 400 vessel calls – with a 30-year forecast predicting up to 110 million tons of cargo per year. Offering a transit that is safe and efficient, the port is specifically geared to serve West and East African, European and Asian trade routes, making it a popular choice for container shipping lines.

The 4-berth Container Terminal has a depth of 16 metres, with 10 ship-to-shore (STS) cranes. The port also serves the industrial bulk commodity requirements of the regional and national hinterland.


Fast Fact

Number of berths: 7 – Containers (4), Dry Bulk (2), Liquid Bulk (1) • Depth – 18 m Chart Datum (port) • Entrance channel: 300 m wide

Turning circle: 600 mm diameter • Total rail tracks: 2.5 km with four sets for staging and one for locomotive return • Port connection leads to rail, road and air connection • Port land: 1 307.77 hectares • Admin Craft Basin • Sand-bypass • Green areas in port

Commodities

Container, Manganese, Abnormal Cargo



Port of Durban

The Port of Durban is an ‘Enterprise Driver’ port that promotes enterprise development, growth and sustainability of the maritime value chain. As a premium gateway into Africa and the rest of the world, the Port serves as a strategic conduit and facilitator of trade.


Port Overview

Regarded as the busiest port in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Port of Durban is South Africa’s premier container, automotive and liquid bulk port. It also caters for dry bulk, break bulk and multi-purpose cargo services, as well as housing ship repair, cruise liner, naval, fishing and recreational facilities. Durban’s natural bay was first used in 1824 by European settlers who established a trading post there. Almost 200 years later, its land and water area of 1 854ha features 58 berths (of which 41 are currently operational), 302km of rail tracks.


Fast Fact

58 Berths (41 In Operation) • 8 Container Precinct • 10 Dry-Bulk • 14 Break-Bulk • 8 Liquid-Bulk • 3 Automotive • 1 Passenger

20 Maritime Craft: • 9 Tugs • 2 Pilot Boats • 5 Launches • 1 Floating Dock • 1 Luxury Passenger Vessel • 1 Debris Collection Boat • 2 Pilot Helicopters

Commodities

Automotive • Containers • Liquid bulk • Dry bulk • Breakbulk



A full range of port and marine services is provided:

• Vessel traffic service for the purpose of safe navigation • Pilotage - A helicopter transports the port’s marine pilots to and from vessels • Towage - Tug assistance is compulsory for all commercial vessels. The Harbour Masterdetermines the number of tugs to be used per vessel • Dry dock and Floating dock, including Private Shipbuilding and Repair.

The 424-person strong Marine Services department consists of:

• Berthing Services – for mooring and unmooring of ships • Marine Fleet – including 9 tugs, 2 pilot boats, 1 debris collection boat, 5 launches, 1 floating crane, 1 luxury passenger vessel and 2 helicopters • Water Services – which provide visiting ships with fresh water
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Maritime School of Excellence

Comprehensive theoretical training of marine services staff is handled by the Maritime School of Excellence, while practical training is conducted on-board the department’s various vessels.

Port Control manages vessel traffic inside and outside the port 24/7, 365 days a year using the VTS system (VTS LOG), radar, ECDIS and the state-of-the-art Automated Identification System (AIS) for the monitoring of vessels at anchorage and inside the port limits. The 28-member team works on a quad shift system under the deputy Harbour Master.

TNPA’s 1 124 Durban employees handle approximately 3 000 vessel calls per annum with a total average of 90million tons per annum. There are on average 13 000 Truck movements on Bayhead South coast per day OPS, 136 268 cars and 197 141 pedestrians.


Future Plans

The KZN Eastern Ports Master Plan, is a flagship project for Transnet, which aims to position Durban as a globally competitive container hub port and Richards Bay as Dry Bulk hub and LNG importation site. The implementation of the strategy will see the planned relocation of the SA Navy from Salisbury Island, where the Base will be located in Port of Richards Bay and Satellite Station at the Port of Durban.

The Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan recognises the catalytic role infrastructure investment plays in reigniting the economy. Thus, government has prioritized port and rail reforms as part of its efforts to improve South Africa’s growth and competitiveness.

Consultations with key stakeholders are currently being held while the plans ate undergoing a validation process by independent consultants that have already been appointed by TNPA. Customers also have been afforded the opportunity to engage with TNPA and provide their inputs, insights and feedback to the plans and also share how these plans will affect their businesses.




Port of Richards Bay

The Port of Richards Bay has excellent road connections to the north and south, as well as to inland regions in the west.


Port Overview

The Port of Richards Bay is located approximately 160 km north -east of Durban and 465 km south of Maputo on the eastern seaboard of South Africa.

Its main hinterland consist of northern KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. The port is divided into three precints, namely: South dunes, Bayview & Newark precincts, which focus on different services.


Fast Fact

The port has an asset base of 18 billion which consist of 22 berths ( 7 dry bulk, 7 break bulk, 2 liquid bulk and 6 coal).

The port has 8 maritime crafts: 5 tugs, 1 pilote boat, 1 work boat and 2 helicopters.

Commodities

Coal, Ferro Crome, Magnatite, Crome Ore, Woodchips , alumina, salpher and alluminiam



Port of Cape Town

The Port of Cape Town is the premier port for the western Cape region, providing a wide range of round-the-clock port operations. Welcome to Transnet National Ports Authority and the Port of Cape Town – the premier port for the Western Cape region.


Port Overview

TNPA manages, controls and administers the South African port system on behalf of the South African Government. Situated in South Africa’s legislative capital and Mother City, the Port of Cape Town provides a wide range of round-the-clock port services for the container, liquid bulk, dry-bulk and break bulk sectors.

It supports an agricultural hinterland that is world-renowned for the quality of its produce, a premium fruit export hub, a vibrant fishing sector, a fast growing cruise industry, a marine engineering hub focusing on ship repair and boat &yacht building and a burgeoning off-shore oil and gas industry.

Marine services provided by TNPA include navigation, towage, pilotage, berthing and pollution control. Ideally positioned as a hub linking cargoes with West Africa, the Americas and Europe with Asia, the Far East and Australia. Growing percentage of cargo handled is transhipment cargo for onward transit.


Fast Fact

With a water area of 9163 ha and a land area of 253 ha, the port boasts 42 berths and 178km of rail track • Over 1860 commercial vessels call at the port every year, and 8700 people enter the Port of Cape Town daily.

The Port employs some 617 people, with a marine fleet that includes 4 tug boats, 2 pilot boats, 2 launches and 2 work boats and a helicopter service from 2023.

Commodities

In 2021, the port handled 841 609 TEUs of Containers, 4.9 million kilolitres of Liquid Bulk, 1.3 million tonnes of Dry Bulk and 459 383 tonnes of Break Bulk.



Multipurpose Terminal (MPT)

The Port of Cape Town continues to transform as a leading port in the Southern African region.

The container terminal has been undergoing a 5.4 billion rand expansion that will ultimately double its capacity to 1.5 million TEU’s per annum and enable it to service bigger vessels. It included deepening the container berth to 15.5 meters, widening the 3 of the 4 container quays and equipping them with ship to shore cranes with double lift capacity and a reach of 19 TEU’s across the vessel.

The six-berth Multi-Purpose terminal handles a variety of general cargo. There are also specialist facilities for the fresh produce and fishing industries ensuring temperatures are controlled at optimum levels during handling and storage.
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Future Plans

The Port of Cape Town has embraced the fourth industrial revolution to grow our footprint and build trade routes, leverage our property portfolio, build brand reputation and focus on operational efficiency – using technology to help improve our working environment. The port’s smart port development will see the integration of data sharing between Transnet divisions as well as an extensive wireless network which will revolutionise our operations.

This new wireless network will track Truck Turnaround Time, Vessel and Berth Data, Port Asset Management and Employee Access and Use. The project involves the installation of scanners, tracking devices and sensors on equipment, berths, trucks and craft – as well as the use of drones for data-capturing. As the gateway between international trade and some six million consumers in the Western Cape, the Port of Cape Town plays a key role in the economy. TNPA has programmes in place to spread awareness of the port and career and business opportunities it offers to surrounding communities, to ensure future generations of port workers, professionals and entrepreneurs from these communities can take up positions and opportunities in the maritime industry.

The beautiful Port of Cape Town has a picturesque backdrop of Table Mountain, and is a working harbour within close proximity to the world-famous Victoria & Alfred Waterfront that preserved the historic origins of the harbour and transformed it into a vibrant international tourist attraction within this busy working port.




Port of Mossel Bay

The main commodities handled are petroleum products exported through the off-shore moorings and fish products from the fishing industry of the region.


Port Overview

The Port of Mossel Bay holds a special place in South African Maritime History, for this is the first recorded Harbour used regularly along the South African coast by European seafarers journeying to the East. Situated halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, approximately 400km East of Cape Town, it is the only South African port that operates two off-shore mooring points within port limits.

Accessible by road and railway networks, the Port of Mossel Bay is an excellent connection point to the consumer markets and industrial zones of the Western Cape hinterland.


Fast Fact

R1, 585 bn Total assets, 25 Hectares Land Area • 2 Offshore Terminals

8 Berths • Slipway Repair Facility • 2 Maritime Craft (1 workboat, 1 launch)

Commodities

Break Bulk - Coastwise import & export operations offshore supply & local fish industry • Liquid Bulk - SPM and CBM operations, import of crude & export of petroleum products • Fishing - Resident trawlers & fish processing plants

Maritime Engineering - Slipway facility 200 ton, caters primarily for repairs to fishing trawlers up to 30m length • Tourism and Recreational - Cruise vessels anchor in the bay & passengers are ferried to shore. The Port accommodates a yacht club, restaurants, fish shops & recreational boating activities



Port of Saldanha

The Port of Saldanha is the #1 iron ore export harbour and deepest natural port in Africa with prime oils and gas service infrastructure enabled by the creation of a dedicated special economic zone.


Port Overview

Break Bulk cargo is handled via the Port's Multi-Purpose Terminal(MPT) and includes commodities like iron ore, manganize, zinc, copper, lead, granite and various mineral sands. The (MPT) has a current capacity of 8 000 000 tons per annum.

The Crude Oil Terminal at Port of Saldanha was established in 1983 and can accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC's) including crude oil tankers up to 300 000 tons displacement . The Latter is accommodated at the oil jetty which has a handling capacity of 25 million tons per annum.

The General Maintenance Quay (GMQ) with a berth of 294m provides assistance to the Offshore Oil and Gass Supply vessels.


Fast Fact

Deepest natural port in Africa

Commodities

Liquid Bulk -Crude Oil, LPG (Gas) • Dry Bulk -Iron Ore

Other Dry Bulk- Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Lead and various mineral sands • Break Bulk- Granite, Steel (Coils), Wind Turbines



Future Plans

Due to its strategic location in relation to the West- African Offshore Oil and Gas Fields, The Port of Saldanha will strive to establish itself as a supply base to service the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry and ultimately a comprehensive Energy Supply Services Hub.

Other key core focus areas will be growing the port’s iron ore export capacity, increasing break-bulk commodities, diversifying the liquid bulk capacity and to establish and grow Ship & Rig Repair services.




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