The South Africa Guide

South Africa has a number of seaports which play an important part in the economy of the country. The cheapest way to move stock in bulk is to transport by sea. Competent and efficiently run harbours are necessary for both imports and exports that play a big role in South Africa’s International trade.

Photograph Graeme Williams

South African ports are also used by large passenger liners carrying visitors to South Africa. Very often the liners stop at various ports allowing passengers the option of seeing different parts of the country.

The Port of Durban or Durban Harbour, as it is more commonly known, is the busiest port in Africa and handles about 60% of the container traffic of South African ports and is a major employer for the city of Durban. It is in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is a major contributor to the economy of Durban as well as all of  South Africa. As well as handling a large amount of commercial traffic, many passenger liners call at this port and during the Fifa World Cup soccer 2010 a couple of large passenger liners will berth at Durban Port to be used as floating hotels.

Photo Mary Alexander

The Port of Cape Town is positioned along one of the world’s busiest Trade routes and is situated in Table Bay , Cape Town, South Africa and second only to Durban as a container port. Cape Town Port also has noteworthy amenities for maintenance and repairs that are used by the fishing fleets and oil tankers. This Port is also a popular berthing place for luxury liners from all over the world.

Port Elizabeth is a major port which handles tons of cargo every day for export and import, servicing the large Motor Industry of Port Elizabeth and the surrounding areas.

East London seaport is situated at the mouth of the Buffalo River in the Eastern Cape Province. It is South Africa’s only remaining river port and is the site of South Africa’s largest grain elevators.

There are also sizeable Ports at Mossel Bay, Richards Bay and Saldanha Bay.