After 13 years of unprecedented growth at the Durban Car Terminal the brakes have been applied – ironically after the terminal reached a capacity of 13 200 slots, just short of the peak design capacity of 14 000 slots which will be reached this November. The motor industry is probably one of the first to reflect changing economic trends and this is proving true in the current recession. Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) reports a dramatic decrease in the number of vehicle imports and exports along with vessel calls, although in the 2008/09 financial year ended 31 March 2009 the terminal handled a total of 372 557 motor units, just a little shy of the 388 894 units achieved in the preceding year 2007/08. There has however been a significant drop in imports, from 258 881 in 2007/08 to 184 511 units, but the reverse is true with exports, driven mostly by Toyota South Africa’s export drive. Vehicle exports at Durban rose to 182 091 units from 122 590 the previous year. Industry sources say they do not expect any improvement with the motor industry before 2011 at the earliest. The Durban Car Terminal remains one of the most modern and with excellent facilities, including the use of four dedicated berths linked by overhead bridge into the parkade area of the terminal.
