South Africa is spending ZAR 7bn ($464m) to improve access at Durban Container Terminal (DCT) in a bid to accommodate larger containerships.
The project at the Durban port, which handles 65% of South Africa’s container cargo, will include the reconstruction, deepening and lengthening of berths 203 to 205.
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) aims to complete the upgrades by 2023, it said in a statement.
Currently, post-panamax ships of 9,200-teu and larger take up two berths on the North Quay, shrinking port capacity, while larger vessels can only enter the channel at high tide resulting in delays and vessel queues at the outer anchorage.
The marine infrastructure work will be executed in three successive phases – commencing with work on berth 205, followed by berth 204 and ending with berth 203.
Dredging will be carried out to deepen the turning basin and the approach channel serving berths 203 to 205 to -16.5 metres Chart Datum Port (CDP).
The existing quay will be lengthened by about 30% to about 1,210 metres which will allow for the simultaneous berthing of three 350 metre post-panamax vessels.
“This staggered approach will ensure that the terminal is able to accommodate two vessels at any time between berths 203 to 205, even while one berth is decommissioned,” Trasnet said.
“In the Port of Durban which handles about 65% of the total containerised cargo of South Africa, we have a critical need to provide modern, safe, deeper and longer container berths to accommodate the ever-increasing size of container vessels we are now servicing,” said Transnet chief capital officer Krishna Reddy
“This will ensure that our flagship Port of Durban and South Africa as a whole remain competitive within the industry, while catering safely for the needs of the marine sector.”
