Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has opened the gates to private sector investment in Richards Bay.This comes nearly 50 years after the establishment of South Africa’s only privately owned and operated terminal, the Richards Bay Coal Terminal. Owned by a consortium of coal miners and coal logistics companies, the terminal was established in 1976 with a capacity of 12 million tons a year.Grindrod, which operates the Navitrade coal terminal, will now be developing a container facility through a joint venture with Eyamakhosi Resources.The granting of a 25-year lease by TNPA has resulted in an initial R285 million investment to develop and operate a container quay at the port’s Bayvue precinct, boosting capacity from 50 000 TEUs a year to 200 000 TEUs by 2028. “The partnership reflects Transnet’s ongoing commitment to enabling and unlocking capacity through well-regulated private-sector partnerships,” said Transnet board chairperson Andile Sangqu during the May 2025 signing ceremony in Richards Bay.TNPA says the Port of Richards Bay is being reconfigured in terms of its masterplan for KwaZulu-Natal ports.In alignment with the strategy,TNPA signed a Terminal Operator Agreement in February 2025 with Zululand Energy Terminal (ZET) to design, develop, construct, finance, operate and maintain a liquefied natural gas terminal at the Port of Richards Bay for a period of 25 years.ZET is a joint venture between Vopak Terminal Durban and Transnet Pipelines (TPL).In May 2025, TNPA shortlisted five preferred bidders for a 25-year concession to develop, manage and operate liquid bulk and green fuel terminals at the Port of Richards Bay. The terminals will be situated in the South Dunes Precinct of the port.The successful preferred bidders are KZN Oils, Linsen Nambi, Protank, Bidvest/Mnambithi Consortium, and KNGM Engineering.The sites will be designed to handle various petrochemical products, including diesel, petroleum, jet fuel, marine fuels, biofuel, hydrogen, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), pure butane, pure propane, base oils and bitumen.“The awarding of preferred bidders for the South Dunes Precinct development is a major milestone in strengthening the Port of Richards Bay’s position as a premier liquid bulk and green fuel hub,” said Richards Bay port manager Captain Dennis Mqadi. ER
