Durban port construction to start in 2021

Transnet's Durban port container terminal. Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi.

Transnet's Durban port container terminal. Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi.

Published Feb 27, 2015

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Durban - Construction work on Durban's proposed dig-out port south of the city is likely to start in 2021, after a number of improvements to the city's main port have taken place.

This was revealed on Friday at a press conference by Mark Gregg-McDonald, Transnet's group executive of planning and sustainability.

The proposed port will occupy the site of the former Durban International Airport in Isipingo, about 20km south of the city centre.

Gregg-McDonald said that in 2014 the port handled about 2.7 million containers and this was expected to increase to 7.5 million containers in 2040.

Despite improving efficiency and expanding the current container terminal capacity, by 2025 the port's facilities would not cope.

Ten other sites had been looked at to expand container facilities, including Richards Bay and Ngqura in the Eastern Cape.

“We are at the point where we are narrowing down the designs,” he said, adding that funding for the project still had to be sourced.

Sapa

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