South Africa’s ports are in dire need of investment if the challenges around efficiency and performance are to be addressed.It is also essential if the country is to realise its strategic goal of growing the oceans economy or implementing the Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy, which seeks to create a nurturing environment for entrepreneurs to develop and grow businesses in the maritime sector.The country’s port sector, however, has been facing some serious headwinds for some time now. A World Bank report in 2021 put the Port of Cape Town, for example, at 347 out of 351 in terms of global container port performance, lower than any other on the continent.According to Terry Gale, a member of the Port Consultative Committee (PCC), a statutory structure set up by government as a way of ensuring that all economic participants at the country’s major ports have equal access and input to management of the ports infrastructure and associated resources, well-functioning ports are vital to the economy of the country and surrounding region. “In view of the landlocked countries of the Southern African Customs Union, and also when the AfCFTA comes into force, South Africa can and should be the conduit for trade with the rest of the continent.”This can only occur if the ports are functioning well. “The biggest challenges with the ports are ageing equipment, with resulting breakdowns,” said Gale. “Weather, while not in our control, continues to impact heavily on our ports. The equipment at several of the ports in the country, notably the rubber tyre gantries, do not operate beyond winds of 80km per hour, often bringing the ports to a complete standstill.”Gale told Freight News that investment in port infrastructure was critical if South Africa wanted to remain competitive.It’s a sentiment shared by Minister of Transpor t Fik ile Mbalula, who in January announced some critical investments into the port landscape. This included an estimated $1.5-billion project at the Port of Ngqura where an onshore Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) regasification facility will be constructed. At the Port of Durban, Mnambithi Terminals will develop and operate a liquid bulk terminal at Maydon Wharf 6. This investment will significantly contribute to infrastructure development. With a total construction investment of R1.5 billion, this project will also see a $26-million maritime vessel purchased. This will be the first chemical tanker to be acquired by a South African company and flagged locally.According to Gale, just as important as the investment is the increased collaboration between port management and the private sector.“Transnet wants to engage with industry,” he said. In Cape Town, weekly meetings have been reinstated while at other ports efforts to collaborate with port users are also gaining ground. “There is a great degree of transparency and working together, which bodes well for the future,” said Gale.
