Africa PORTS & SHIPS maritime news 16-17 August 2026

Greek ferry makes extraordinary 5,981-nautical-mile voyage to Angola The ferry PROTEAS that completed an almost 6,000 n. mile delivery voyage from Greece to Luanda in Angola. Picture: Redwise Click image to. . .

By Terry Hutson · August 16, 2026 · 28 min read

Greek ferry makes extraordinary 5,981-nautical-mile voyage to AngolaThe ferry PROTEAS that completed an almost 6,000 n. mile delivery voyage from Greece to Luanda in Angola. Picture: Redwise Click image to enlargeAfricaPorts & ShipsA ferry designed for a 15-minute crossing between Greece and the mainland has completed a remarkable 5,981-nautical-mile voyage under her own power from Piraeus to Luanda, where she is to begin a new working life in Angola. The 93-metre PROTEAS, a double-ended ferry typical of the vessels serving the short crossings between the Greek mainland and the island of Salamina, arrived in Luanda after a 34-day delivery voyage organised by Dutch ship-delivery specialist Redwise. The contrast between the vessel’s original role and her delivery voyage is striking. PROTEAS was designed for domestic Greek service, where ferries of this type routinely make the approximately 1. 2-kilometre, or 0. 65-nautical-mile, crossing to Perama in about 15 minutes. She is equipped with four azimuth thrusters, one at each corner, together with vehicle ramps at both ends. Close-up view of the ferry Proteas. Picture: Redwise. Click image to enlargeHer new owner, however, is in Angola — requiring the relatively short-distance ferry to undertake an ocean voyage nearly 9,200 times longer than the crossing for which she was designed. Before departure from Greece, PROTEAS therefore required a substantial programme of preparation to make her suitable for an ocean passage. Redwise said the work included upgrades to safety, firefighting, navigation and radio equipment, together with the conversion of void spaces to provide additional bunker capacity. A galley and freezer capacity were installed, while freeing ports and arrangements for securing the vehicle ramps were also addressed. The work was undertaken in consultation with the owners and their representatives, the builders, classification and the Marine Warranty Surveyor, with the vessel prepared in accordance with applicable IACS guidelines. Redwise also arranged the Hull & Machinery and Protection & Indemnity insurance for the voyage. Once ready, PROTEAS sailed from Greece through the Mediterranean and out through the Strait of Gibraltar, continuing south past Tenerife before making a bunkering call at Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands. From there, the ferry made the final leg to Angola, following a route that kept her relatively close to the African coast rather than taking a more direct track into the open Atlantic. The voyage covered 5,981 nautical miles and took 34 days. Her arrival in Luanda was greeted by João Martins, president of the board of the Angolan ownership, who described the vessel as having arrived in “perfect condition” and thanked the teams involved for their cooperation and dedication. PROTEAS is currently at Luanda’s Cabotage Terminal. Her arrival is particularly interesting because Angola is seeking to expand domestic maritime transport along its 1,600-kilometre Atlantic coastline. The Port of Luanda has been developing its cabotage facilities to support the movement of both passengers and cargo, including planned maritime connections between Luanda and the northern provinces of Zaire and Cabinda. The Port of Luanda has also been upgrading its cabotage and passenger infrastructure, with the cabotage terminal among projects forming part of the port’s wider modernisation programme. The exact route on which PROTEAS will operate has not yet been publicly confirmed, but her deployment in Angola comes as the country places increasing emphasis on ferry and cabotage services as an alternative means of connecting its coastal provinces. The vessel’s registered owner is identified in vessel records as West African Marine SA, while Redwise Maritime Services is listed as her commercial manager. For Redwise, the voyage represents another example of the specialist ship-delivery company’s ability to move vessels under their own power well beyond the operating environment for which they were originally designed. The company, which traces its ship-delivery history back 120 years, said the successful voyage demonstrated the importance of seamanship, experience, careful weather assessment and close cooperation between owners, crews, technical teams and other parties involved in such deliveries. For PROTEAS, meanwhile, the extraordinary voyage marks the end of her Greek career and the beginning of an entirely different, African one. A ferry built to cross a narrow stretch of water in 15 minutes has now crossed an ocean to begin her working life in Angola. Added 13 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowTRIM opens South Africa’s 9,098km B-Network to private-sector partnership opportunitiesKZN South Coast line, a potential branch line partnership involving timber and possible mineral traffic. Class 37s with the Transnet Phelophepa train near Umkomaas. Picture: Late Charles Baker. Click image to enlargeAfricaPorts & ShipsTransnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) has taken another significant step towards opening South Africa’s railway network to private-sector participation, issuing a Request for Information (RFI) for potential partnerships covering approximately 9,098 kilometres of B-Network railway lines. The RFI invites public- and private-sector parties to provide information on potential opportunities involving the refurbishment, financing, operation and maintenance of low-density branch and feeder lines, as well as possible partnership-based operating arrangements. The B-Network comprises a large part of South Africa’s secondary railway infrastructure, characterised generally by lower traffic volumes, smaller-scale operations and infrastructure profiles that differ from those of the country’s core rail network. Most of the branch lines connect with the core network, providing access for freight movements to and from export facilities, domestic markets and other destinations. Some lines have also attracted interest for passenger and tourism services. TRIM says information received through the RFI will be used to refine its understanding of the challenges facing the B-Network and to guide the development of one or more future procurement programmes. The objective is to improve railway performance and throughput while leveraging private-sector capital, technical skills and operational expertise. Moshe Motlohi, TRIM chief executive“The introduction of PSP opportunities on the B-Network is a critical step in reforming South Africa’s freight logistics system,” said Moshe Motlohi, Chief Executive of TRIM. “By inviting market input, TRIM aims to design procurement programmes that are responsive to industry demand and aligned with national policy objectives under the White Paper on National Rail Policy and the Economic Regulation of Transport Act. ”The RFI represents a broadening of the railway reform programme that has already begun opening South Africa’s core rail network to third-party train operators. TRIM recently announced the successful conclusion of Rail Access Agreements (RAAs) with 11 new Train Operating Companies (TOCs) that had been allocated slots on selected train paths following the publication of Network Statement Version 3 in 2024. The agreements marked an important milestone in the introduction of open access to South Africa’s freight railway network, allowing private operators to make use of Transnet’s rail infrastructure alongside the state-owned freight operator. The B-Network RFI now potentially takes the reform process a step further by seeking market participation in infrastructure that has historically been regarded as commercially marginal or uneconomic for conventional railway operations. The approach could potentially bring investment and new operating models to branch lines that have suffered from declining traffic, inadequate maintenance or limited utilisation, while also providing opportunities for specialised freight, agricultural, mining, passenger and tourism services. Importantly, the current RFI is not itself a procurement process or an award of any operating rights or agreements. Rather, it is intended to establish market interest and obtain information that will allow TRIM to determine how future procurement programmes should be structured. Interested parties can obtain the RFI documentation through the National Treasury’swww. etenders. gov. zaPublication Portal and Transnet’s tender portalhttps://transnetetenders. azurewebsites. netResponses must be submitted electronically by 30 September 2026 at 10h00. The scale of the B-Network means that the exercise could ultimately prove as significant as the opening of the core network to private train operators. If it results in viable partnership and operating models, thousands of kilometres of secondary railway could potentially be brought back into productive use, creating new freight corridors and supporting economic activity in regions currently poorly served by rail. Added 12 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowGrindrod trains first six female locomotive operators in MozambiqueGrindrod locomotives hauling ore wagons. Picture: GrindrodAfricaPorts & ShipsGrindrod has trained its first six female locomotive operators in Mozambique, breaking new ground for women in a traditionally male-dominated sector of the country’s railway industry. The six women – Rosa Bela, Malda Maquil, Imaculada Fonseca, Ivete Chile, Isaura Bazima and Helena Salomão – have completed approximately a year of training and are now operating locomotives involved in Grindrod’s freight operations. The development was reported this week by Mozambican business publication Diário Económico, which said the women had become the first female locomotive drivers employed by Grindrod in Mozambique. The newspaper reported that the training was conducted at facilities belonging to Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM). Grindrod has separately confirmed the initiative, describing it as its Women Locomotive Operators Project. The programme was launched in 2025 at the Terminal de Carvão da Matola (TCM), where six women were recruited and trained as locomotive operators. The company says the women are now participating in daily rail operations, including receiving and inspecting trains, wagon shunting and train assembly. Their involvement is also intended to contribute to improved rail turnaround times at the Matola terminal. For some of the women, the move represents a major change in career direction. Isaura Bazima, who joined Grindrod three years ago as a machine operator, told Diário Económico that she was selected for the locomotive-driver training programme after initially having little idea of what the training would involve. The course lasted about a year and presented considerable challenges, she said, but she has now been operating locomotives for several months, transporting materials required for Grindrod’s operations. Another of the new operators, Malda Maquil, joined Grindrod in 2023 as a shunting operator before taking up the opportunity to train as a locomotive driver. The initiative comes at an interesting time for Grindrod’s regional rail ambitions. In May this year the company signed a Rail Access Agreement with Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM), formally enabling it to participate in South Africa’s Open Access Rail initiative. Grindrod says its South African rail operations are expected to commence in 2027, subject to completion of the remaining operational and contractual requirements. The company has been allocated two slots on the North-East Corridor and plans to transport about 288,000 tonnes during its first year of operations. Grindrod’s 2025 results presentation also refers to the acquisition of wagons for the movement of 400,000 tonnes a year between Belfast and Komatipoort, supporting volumes destined for its Matola terminal. That emerging cross-border operation gives the women’s achievement an additional regional dimension. However, there is currently no confirmation that the six Mozambican locomotive operators will themselves operate Grindrod trains on the South African section of the corridor. For now, their achievement is significant in its own right: six women have moved from operational and shunting roles into locomotive driving, opening a new career path for women in Mozambique’s freight-rail industry. Added 12 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowHMM launches Gulf India – East Africa (GIA) serviceGulf-India-East Africa service map. Map: HMMEast Africa CorrespondentAfricaPorts & ShipsHMM (Hyundai Merchant Marine) has announced the launch of its Gulf – India – East Africa (GIA) Service, a container route linking India and East Africa. The new service will commence in September 2026. GIA becomes HMM’s second African feeder network, operating under its Hub & Spoke strategy. The route connects East Africa with Nhava Sheva and Mundra, the regional hubs where cargo from India and Central Asia consolidates. The port rotation will be:Nhava Sheva (India) – Mundra (India) – Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) – Mombasa (Kenya) – Nhava Sheva (India)GIA’s maiden voyage will depart from Nhava Sheva in the fourth week of September, utilising five 2,800 TEU container vessels. The service will be operated jointly by four carriers — HMM, COSCO SHIPPING, PIL, and INTERASIA LINES. The partners plan to extend the rotation to the Gulf region once that route is safe for navigation. By adding the East Africa (GIA) route to its existing West Africa (MA2) service, HMM expands its coverage across the African continent. HMM says that Kenya and Tanzania, the newly added destinations, serve as gateways to East Africa, ‘where port infrastructure and inland logistics developments are ongoing. The service is expected to improve transport convenience for shippers. ’“With the introduction of GIA service, HMM anticipates providing our customers with more efficient and reliable sea transportation,” said a HMM spokesman. “We will also continue to expand our presence in these regions and provide an enhanced service portfolio in the future,” he added. Added 12 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowMaersk to sell Maersk Training to OpenGate CapitalPicture: MaerskAfricaPorts & ShipsA. P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has entered into an agreement to sell Maersk Training and its subsidiary Maersk H2S Safety Services to OpenGate Capital, a private equity firm specialising in industrial and corporate carve-outs. The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The sale aligns with Maersk’s ongoing focus on its core strategic brands while recognising the strong market positions established by Maersk Training and Maersk H2S Safety Services. Under OpenGate Capital’s ownership, the business is expected to continue growing with a dedicated focus on training, gas detection, safety and workforce competency solutions. “Maersk Training has built a strong business with highly skilled colleagues, trusted customer relationships and a solid foundation for future growth,” said Katharina Poehlmann, Head of Strategy at A. P. Moller – Maersk and Chairwoman of Maersk Training. “We believe this transaction will enable Maersk Training to continue developing under an owner with training, safety and competency solutions as a key focus area, creating new opportunities for customers, employees and the business alike. ”For more than four decades, Maersk Training has delivered specialised training, competence development and safety services to the energy, maritime, renewables and logistics sectors, helping customers manage operational risk and improve workforce safety. “This is an important milestone for Maersk Training,” said David Skov, CEO of Maersk Training, adding that the agreement recognises the strong business that has been built over the past 40-plus years. “While many of us are proud of our Maersk heritage, we are equally excited about the opportunities this next chapter brings under an owner with experience in unlocking long-term value. ” Skov said. “Until the transaction closes, our focus remains unchanged: serving our customers, supporting one another and delivering on our commitments and ambitions. ”The transaction is expected to close later in 2026. Until then, Maersk Training will continue to operate as part of A. P. Moller – Maersk. Employees, customers and partners can expect business to continue as usual during the transition period. Maersk Training:Maersk Training, a subsidiary of the A. P. Moller – Maersk Group, is a global provider of training and competence solutions that help organisations improve safety, operational performance and workforce capability across industries including wind, oil and gas, maritime and beyond. For details of OpenGate Capital go towww. opengatecapital. comAdded 11 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowDrone attack damages Libya’s Zawiya refinery as NOC warns of possible shutdownAI-generated image for AP&SAfricaPorts & ShipsA drone attack on Libya’s Zawiya oil refinery has caused significant damage and raised the prospect of disruption to petroleum-product supplies and potentially oil exports from one of the country’s key energy facilities. The attack occurred on Monday, 10 August, when a drone struck a gasoline storage tank at the refinery, located about 47 kilometres west of Tripoli. The tank reportedly contained approximately 4. 5 million litres of gasoline and was destroyed in the resulting fire. Other reports indicate that a naphtha storage tank was also damaged. The Zawiya refinery, operated by Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), has a refining capacity of approximately 120,000 barrels per day and is an important source of fuel for western Libya. The identity of those responsible for the drone attack has not been established. The NOC has warned that continued attacks on oil infrastructure in the Zawiya area could force it to suspend refinery operations and potentially declare force majeure on exports from the Zawiya oil terminal. That warning raises the stakes considerably. While the immediate damage is principally to refining and petroleum-product storage capacity, rather than to crude-oil production itself, a prolonged shutdown could have wider consequences for Libya’s energy supply chain. The refinery supplies gasoline and other petroleum products to the domestic market. If its operations are substantially curtailed, Libya could be forced to increase imports of refined products to compensate for lost domestic production. The impact on crude-oil exports is less certain. Zawiya is an important oil-processing and distribution centre, but the refinery itself is not responsible for the bulk of Libya’s crude exports. Consequently, the destruction of the gasoline storage tank does not automatically translate into a major reduction in national crude production or exports. However, the situation could change if attacks continue and the NOC is forced to suspend operations at the refinery or impose force majeure at the associated Zawiya terminal. That would potentially disrupt both the movement of crude and petroleum products through the facility, depending on the extent and duration of any shutdown. The attack comes against the backdrop of continuing instability in Libya, where rival political and armed groups have periodically targeted or contested strategic infrastructure. For international energy markets, the principal concern at this stage is therefore not the loss of a single storage tank but the possibility of repeated attacks against Libya’s oil infrastructure. A prolonged disruption at Zawiya could tighten domestic fuel supplies, increase Libya’s requirements for imported refined products and potentially reduce the availability of crude or petroleum products for export. The NOC’s warning of a possible force-majeure declaration therefore provides an important indication of the seriousness with which the Libyan authorities are viewing the attacks. Further information on the damage, the refinery’s operating status and the identity of the attackers will determine whether the incident develops into a temporary disruption or a more significant interruption to Libya’s oil and fuel supply chain. Added 11 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowHouthi attacks on shipping return to Red Sea as three seafarers reportedly killedupdatedThe bulk carrier Eternity C sinking in the Red Sea, July 2025. Picture: Houthi Military supplied. Click image to enlargeAfricaPorts & ShipsThe Red Sea shipping threat has taken a deadly turn again, with three seafarers reportedly killed in a Houthi missile attack on a commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier today, Tuesday, 11 August. The latest breaking news is the latest in a series of incidents involving commercial shipping in the Red Sea and approaches to the Bab el-Mandeb during August. Yemeni military sources have identified the latest vessel though the identification appears suspect and we are witholding the name at this stage. According to those reports, a Houthi ballistic missile struck the vessel while it was in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, killing three members of its crew — reported to be two Pakistani and one Indonesian seafarer. Further details, including the vessel’s flag, ownership, cargo, destination and precise position, were still emerging at the time of publication – including confirmation of this report. UPDATED 12 Aug:The deck-cargo ship’s name has been confirmed as TIHAMAH (IMO 1031329), the vessel is Egyptian-owned and Tanzania-flagged. Latest reports indicated that 4 seafarers were killed in the attack. According to the Houthi’s, Tihamah was carrying Saudi military equipment. The ship’s last port of call before the attack was Mokha in government-held Yemen. The significance of the reported attack, however, is already clear. It follows a succession of Houthi attacks and threats against shipping and maritime infrastructure in the southern Red Sea region, suggesting that the danger to commercial vessels using the Red Sea–Bab el-Mandeb route is once again becoming a serious operational issue. A new phase of Red Sea attacksThe latest incident follows the 4 August attack on the Indian-flagged Faize Noore Oliya (MMSI 419956572). The cargo vessel was attacked in the Red Sea off Yemen and subsequently sank. Reports said the vessel was struck by a projectile and that an explosive-laden boat was also involved. All 14 crew members were rescued, including 13 Indians and one Yemeni. The incident was significant because it demonstrated that commercial vessels remained vulnerable even after the relative reduction in Houthi attacks on international shipping. The situation escalated further on 9 August, when the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks against the government-controlled Red Sea port city of Mocha (Al-Makha). Yemeni military sources reported that the attacks killed at least seven people and wounded about 30. The Houthis said they had targeted Saudi military positions and weapons facilities, while the Yemeni government said civilian areas and infrastructure had also been hit. Air defences reportedly intercepted 11 drones. Mocha is particularly important from a maritime perspective because of its proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow strategic waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The port has also assumed greater importance since the outbreak of the Red Sea crisis because it is controlled by Yemen’s internationally recognised government rather than the Houthis, who control the larger port of Hodeidah further north. The earlier warning came in 2025The renewed attacks also have a recent precedent. In July 2025, the Houthis launched a major assault on the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C (IMO 9588249) in the southern Red Sea. The attack continued over two days and involved drones, missiles, explosive unmanned surface vessels, speedboats and rocket-propelled grenades. The ship was eventually abandoned and sank. Four seafarers were reported killed or presumed dead, while others were rescued and a number were initially reported missing. The Eternity C attack was particularly significant because it demonstrated the Houthis’ ability to combine different forms of attack against a merchant vessel rather than relying solely on shore-launched anti-ship missiles. A week earlier another bulk carrier, Magic Seas, was sent to the bottom of the Red Sea. Picture: Houthi Military supplied. Click image to enlargeIt followed the sinking of the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas a week earlier in July 2025. That vessel was attacked with gunfire, missiles, drones and remotely controlled explosive boats before its crew was evacuated and the ship subsequently sank. The first fatal attack remains True ConfidenceThe latest deaths also recall the Houthi attack on the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence on 6 March 2024. The vessel was struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile approximately 50 nautical miles southwest of Aden, in the Gulf of Aden, at about 11:40 UTC. Three crew members were killed and at least four others injured, three of them critically. The vessel was abandoned after sustaining significant damage and catching fire. The True Confidence attack was a watershed moment in the Red Sea crisis because it produced the first reported fatalities among merchant seafarers in the Houthi campaign that had begun several months earlier. It also demonstrated that the threat extended beyond the Red Sea itself into the Gulf of Aden, on the approaches to the Bab el-Mandeb. From disruption to renewed dangerFor shipping, the concern now is not simply the number of attacks but the geographical spread and the apparent escalation in the types of targets being threatened. The Houthis announced in July (this year) that they were imposing what they described as a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, threatening Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea. Reports subsequently emerged of attacks on Saudi-linked tankers. The strategic consequences extend well beyond Yemen. The Bab el-Mandeb is the maritime gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, providing the shortest sea route between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal. When vessels avoid the waterway because of security concerns, ships travelling between Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean must instead make the much longer voyage around the Cape of Good Hope. That adds thousands of nautical miles to many voyages, increasing fuel consumption, vessel utilisation and transit times while also tightening effective shipping capacity. For southern African shipping, the consequences are particularly relevant. The Red Sea crisis had already produced a major increase in traffic around the Cape during the earlier phase of the Houthi campaign. A sustained return to Cape routing would again place the ports and maritime services of southern Africa at the centre of an international shipping diversion. A warning for shippingThe immediate facts surrounding Tuesday’s attack remain incomplete. The identity of the the latest ship attack, its precise position, cargo and voyage details, together with the full casualty and damage assessment, will need to be established from maritime authorities, the vessel’s operator and naval security organisations. But the broader picture is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The 4 August sinking of Faize Noore Oliya, the 9 August attacks around Mocha, and now the reported 11 August fatal attack on a commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb have occurred within little more than a week. Added to the deadly attacks on Eternity C and Magic Seas in July 2025, and the earlier True Confidence attack in March 2024, they demonstrate that the threat to merchant shipping in the Red Sea and its southern approaches has not disappeared. Indeed, Tuesday’s deaths suggest that the threat may be entering another dangerous phase. For shipowners and operators, the critical question is no longer simply whether the Red Sea route can be used, but whether the security environment has deteriorated to the point where the Cape of Good Hope once again becomes the preferred route for international liner and bulk shipping. The answer could have significant consequences for global shipping — and once again put the Cape at the centre of the world’s maritime trade routes. Added 11 August 2026♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦News continues belowThe Point Container Terminal:Durban needs the rail question answered firstTranquility – early morning scene across Durban Bay from the Esplanade. Picture: Celia Meij Click image to enlargeTerry HutsonAfricaPorts & ShipsThe public consultation being held this week by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) on the future development of Durban Harbour could hardly come at a more appropriate time. Among the development possibilities being discussed is the transformation of the Point harbour area into a substantial new container terminal. It is an ambitious proposition, and one that could eventually play an important role in the future of the Port of Durban. But before the cranes are ordered and the first containers arrive, there is another question that deserves to be answered. How will those containers get to and from the terminal?It is a question that may sound obvious, but experience elsewhere in the port tells us that it cannot safely be left until after the terminal has been built. The Point has a particularly important characteristic: its principal road access is along the Esplanade (Margaret Mncadi Avenue). The Esplanade is not simply another port access road. It is one of Durban’s two great iconic waterfront roadways, winding alongside the harbour with views across the bay. The other is the beachfront route, with its largely uninterrupted Indian Ocean vistas extending for more than 8 kilometres. Turning the Point into a major container terminal without simultaneously determining how its container traffic will move could therefore have consequences extending well beyond the port itself. There is an obvious danger. If large numbers of containers are transported to and from a new Point terminal by road, the Esplanade could become Durban’s next truck Kyalami. Durban has spent years dealing with truck congestion around its existing port facilities. Trucks queue on public roads, occupy industrial streets and place pressure on communities and road infrastructure when the port or terminals cannot receive them quickly enough. The result is that the area rapidly degrades and devalues. The lesson should be clear: a new freight facility cannot be planned independently of the traffic it will generate. Durban Master Plan. 4 is the proposed new container terminal, note the infill of water area to enlarge the dockside and terminal area. Another assurance forgotten? Click map to enlargeFortunately, the Point has something that makes a different approach possible. There is already a double-track railway running along the Esplanade and into the harbour area. That is an enormous advantage. It also needs reminding that the first electrified railway in the Durban area was along this stretch of rail almost a hundred years ago, with Durban Bay on one side and blocks of flats and hotels along the other, separated by the scenic Esplanade. By agreement, the line was electrified from the beginning in order to keep the noise levels down!That is fact, not fiction. And this is precisely the problem that South Africa should now be trying to avoid rather than repeating. Instead of developing another container terminal that becomes heavily dependent on trucks and then trying years later to persuade freight operators to transfer their cargo to rail, Durban has the opportunity to design the modal balance into the project from the beginning. Why not make rail the overwhelming mode of container movement to and from the Point? And revert to compulsory electrified locomotion in place of the noise-producing diesels. One possible target would be that 95% or more of the container traffic generated by the new terminal should move by rail, leaving road transport primarily for those movements that genuinely require it. That 95% figure is not proposed as an existing TNPA commitment. It is a challenge to the planners and stakeholders involved in the consultation: if a major new container terminal is to be built at the Point, what level of rail utilisation should be regarded as an essential condition of its development?It is a question worth asking now, rather than after the trucks have arrived. There will, of course, be objections. Not every container can be moved by rail. Road transport will always be necessary for first- and last-mile movements, time-sensitive cargo and destinations that cannot efficiently be served by rail. But that is not an argument for allowing road to become the default mode. It is an argument for designing the system so that rail handles the maximum practical proportion of the long-distance movement. The railway is already there. The opportunity is therefore to make proper use of infrastructure that has historically served the harbour and to ensure that the new terminal’s internal design, operating systems and landside connections are compatible with a genuinely rail-oriented operation. This would also provide Durban with something it currently lacks: the opportunity to deal with the truck-staging problem before it happens. If hundreds of trucks are expected to deliver containers to a new terminal every day, where will they wait when the terminal is busy?Will they queue along the Esplanade?Will they spill into surrounding CBD streets?Will a staging facility have to be created somewhere in the city area?Or will the terminal be designed so that the overwhelming majority of its containers arrive and depart by rail, dramatically reducing the number of trucks that need access to the waterfront in the first place?These are not secondary questions. They are fundamental questions of port planning. They also fit directly into the wider national debate about South Africa’s freight system. Government is now seeking to rebuild freight rail and shift an appropriate proportion of long-distance cargo away from the roads. The Port of Durban, as the country’s principal container gateway, should be at the centre of that effort. It would be a strange outcome if South Africa were simultaneously investing billions in restoring freight rail while constructing new port facilities that generated yet more road freight. There is also a broader urban consideration. Durban’s harbour is an integral part of the city. Its waterfront is not an isolated industrial zone without consequences for the surrounding urban environment. The future of the Point therefore has to be considered not only in terms of container throughput and terminal capacity, but also in terms of traffic, communities, road infrastructure, visual amenity, the noise factor and the relationship between the port and the city. That does not mean that the Point should not be developed. Far from it. It means that development should be done intelligently. The Point could potentially become an important new component of Durban’s port system. But its success should not be measured solely by how many containers it can handle. It should also be measured by how those containers move. This week’s consultations provide an opportunity to put that question directly to TNPA and the other stakeholders involved. Before Durban commits itself to another major container terminal, perhaps it should first commit itself to a principle:Do not build the terminal and then work out how to move the containers. Design the terminal, the railway, the roads and the city interface as one integrated freight system from the beginning. And if the railway is already waiting at the door, there should be a very good reason for not using it. Public consultation on the future development of Durban HarbourWednesday 12 August 2026:10h00 – 12h00 (Virtual by TEAMS)Thursday 13 August,N Shed 17h30-20h00. Enquiries:Nemai Consulting – Tel: 011 781 1730 or[email protected]Added 10 August 2026

Source: africaports.co.za