The Port of Richards Bay has set a new record, handling 30 million tonnes of freight in the past financial year.
According to Thula Dlamini, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) managing executive for Richards Bay Terminals, this surpasses the target of 27 million tonnes set for the bulk and multi-purpose terminals for the year.
“We are very excited about this achievement. The team has been working harder, smarter and more efficiently. We’ve pushed ourselves and continue to strive for more. This milestone validates all our efforts,” he told Freight News.
Richards Bay has faced significant challenges in recent years, with the terminal under pressure to handle cargo efficiently. Originally designed for 23 million tonnes per annum, it has previously reached 28 million tonnes but concerns over capacity and efficiency have persisted.
“I believe we’ve turned a corner. The goal now is to consistently exceed the 30 million tonnes mark,” said Dlamini. “We’re constantly exploring new ways to improve and increase efficiency. The challenges we’ve faced have made us stronger and more resilient.”
TPT’s plans to improve capacity at the Port of Richards Bay include relocating coal operations to a back-of-port area. “This will allow us to move coal via conveyor belts and free up much-needed capacity within the terminals, where we can introduce new commodities,” said Dlamini.
The process is currently at the RFI stage. “We are looking at potential partners for the project. Our goal is to finalise it within the next six to eight months so that we can move to construction as quickly as possible.”
Looking ahead, the terminal aims to focus on cleaner commodities. “Lithium is at the top of our list,” said Dlamini. “There are currently three mines in South Africa and the Port of Richards Bay is ideally positioned to service the lithium industry. We’re also exploring other new-age commodities for which we anticipate growing demand in the future.”
He said a project involving road upgrades in and around the port was ongoing. “We’re investing around R100 million in roadway improvements and construction is currently under way. Another key focus area this year will be the stormwater system. We are benchmarking against other ports to assess best practices and ensure we are not discharging any contaminated water into the ocean.”
Dlamini said there was no doubt that strategic commodities traditionally moved through the Port of Richards Bay remained on an upward trajectory. “The reason for that is simply the current global demand for these minerals. Chrome and magnetite volumes, in particular, have been strong.
“One of the reasons we weren’t previously seeing the volumes we’re handling now is that we simply weren’t an effective outlet. The more efficient we become, the more cargo we can move. We’re working hard to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible,” he said, indicating that the record volumes moved in the 2024/25 financial year were proof of TPT’s commitment to change.
