TNPA continues to eye old Durban airport

The current rate of traffic
growth through the port
of Durban could lead to
a log-jam, according to
Chris Matchett, Transnet
National Ports Authority
(TNPA) executive head
infrastructure.
He added that container
volumes at the port were
growing at a rate of about
6% to 8% a year, and
this, he suggested, would
soon outstrip Durban’s
productive capacity.
Indeed, he told FTW
that before the global
recession saw trade
volumes diminish, fingers
were often pointed at the
port even then as being
unable to handle the
volume.
Certainly, congestion at
Africa’s biggest container
port is no new word, and
has been prompting the
port authorities to search
for added container space.
The most obvious area
is the current container
terminals site at the
Bayhead end of the port.
It’s already being eyed by
TNPA as the first step in
any expansion.
But it’s likely to be
a long-term option,
according to Matchett,
and will still only provide
limited extra space.
The primary alternative
is the now long-standing
idea of using the Durban
airport – and converting
it not only into container,
liquid bulk and vehicle
terminals, but also
digging out a new harbour
area.
It’s going to cost,
Matchett acceded –
“hugely more expensive
than the new deepwater
port at Coega” (itself
estimated at well over
R10-billion).
Matchett says it is
his understanding that
Transnet is talking to
the owner of the Durban
airport, the Airports
Company SA (Acsa),
on the possibility of
developing the land.
It was common
knowledge that Transnet
used to have the first
option on buying
the airport site – but
apparently let this lapse.
However, FTW believes that – since the new
larger-capacity King
Shaka International
Airport opened in May,
and replaced the old
Durban airport – Transnet
has again let Acsa know
that it is still interested.
Talk is that the latest
planning includes the
harbour plan, along with
an automotive industry
development area, which
would take into account
Toyota’s long-rumoured
interest in the site.
Durban city manager,
Mike Sutcliffe, has also
publicly supported this
concept.
It has also been
suggested that the present
container area and the
added facility at the new
port could be joined
using an overhead
monorail system. This
is seen as being a better,
and considerably cheaper,
option than purchasing
the expensive, industryowned
land needed to
link them with a highway.