South Africa’s Most Important Port Is Making a Remarkable Comeback After Years of Trouble

South Africa’s busiest port is showing signs of a major turnaround after years of congestion, equipment failures and shipping delays that hurt businesses and the country’s economy.

The Port of Durban, which serves as a critical gateway for goods entering and leaving South Africa, has recorded one of the biggest improvements in container port efficiency anywhere in the world.

After struggling with long vessel queues and operational problems, the port is now showing what investment, improved management and private sector involvement could achieve.

According to the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, Durban recorded the largest year on year improvement of any port included in the global ranking.

Its performance score improved by approximately 479 points, moving from -721 in 2024 to -242 in 2025.

One of the biggest improvements was the reduction in the number of vessels waiting at anchorage. The port went from having as many as 20 vessels waiting to having none by 2025.

The share of vessel time spent at berth also increased from 52% in 2024 to 76% in 2025, indicating that ships were spending less time waiting outside the port.

A major part of Durban’s recovery is the involvement of international port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI).

The company took over management of the Durban Container Terminal’s Pier 2 under a 25 year concession agreement with Transnet.

The partnership represents approximately R11 billion in private investment, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The investment is expected to modernise equipment, improve cargo handling and increase the terminal’s capacity.

Transnet retains a 51% stake in the terminal, while ICTSI manages its operations.

Despite the impressive improvement, South Africa’s biggest port is not yet among the world’s best-performing facilities.

The 2025 CPPI still placed Durban at 398th out of 400 ports globally.

This means that although the port has made significant progress, years of underinvestment, ageing equipment and operational challenges will take time to overcome.

The recovery also needs to be sustained to ensure that improvements translate into lower shipping costs and more reliable supply chains.

The Port of Durban handles approximately 60% of South Africa’s container traffic, making it essential to the country’s economy.

It connects international trade routes with major economic centres particularly Gauteng and supports businesses involved in manufacturing, agriculture, mining and retail.

When the port operates efficiently, businesses can move goods faster, reduce delays and improve their competitiveness.

A successful turnaround could therefore benefit importers, exporters, consumers and the wider economy.

For South Africa, Durban’s recovery is an encouraging sign that the country’s struggling logistics infrastructure can improve. However, the real test will be whether these gains can be maintained over the coming years.

Sources: South Africa’s most important port going from zero to hero – Daily Investor

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