Exploring land availability in Durban

ALAN PEAT FOR THE companies involved in port side activities there is a distinct need for development to keep pace with the growth in seafreight traffic through the SA port system, according to Graham Peinke, MD of SACD Freight. “A primary focus for us at the moment,” he told FTW, “is a R65-million project on what was formerly the site of the Koeberg power station in Cape Town. “We are presently finalising the detailed plans for a 10 000 m2 warehouse on the site aimed at handling Western Cape exports – a development that is due to start construction next year.” Added to this, SACD has also just spent R12-million in Durban increasing the size of its warehousing space in that port city. “We are also very eager to get land for further developments - particularly in Durban, which is our flagship operation,” Peinke added. In this, the company is currently exploring land availability in the port area along with the National Ports Authority (NPA). “We have to look for growth opportunities, because our Durban operation will be working at full capacity in the next year or two.” SACD has also lodged a memorandum of interest with the Coega Development Corporation for a five hectare piece of ground in the new port, where most of the shipping lines are also looking for land allocations, said Peinke. In overall terms, this is the time to prepare for the future, he added, with SACD’s management thinking very much along those lines. Graham Peinke … memorandum of interest lodged with the Coega Development Corporation for ground in the new port.