‘New Durban port must be ready by 2019’

South Africa will need a new port to be up and running in Durban by no later than 2019 based on volume forecasts, Karl Socikwa, chief executive of Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), said. Speaking at a business networking session in Johannesburg recently, Socikwa said negotiations for the land of the old Durban International Airport (DIA) were progressing well. “It is very difficult to put a timeline to this project,” he said, adding that there was commitment from all role-players that the former DIA would be developed into South Africa’s next major port because the location made sense. “Durban cannot handle the expected volumes if the levels of growth in the country are sustained. We can invest in as many cranes as we want – but the fact is we need a new and bigger site and the DIA is that.” But, said Socikwa, it remained a major project, as the entire port that will mainly focus on containers will have to be dug out. “This project is huge and it is going to take time. Even before any soil is moved, the environmental impact studies alone will take time.”