South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has launched a process to appoint a private operator for the multipurpose terminal at the Port of Durban’s Maydon Wharf precinct.
A request for proposals (RFP) has been issued, inviting companies to bid for a 25-year concession to design, develop, fund, construct, operate, and maintain the terminal before transferring it back to the State-owned group.
The submission deadline is set for June 9, with a non-compulsory site briefing scheduled for March 27. The Maydon Wharf precinct spans 145 ha and includes 15 berths, handling over seven-million tons of cargo annually, such as dry and break bulk, small volumes of liquid bulk, and containers.
The selected concessionaire will sign a terminal operator agreement with TNPA, overseeing infrastructure development including sheds, offices, ablutions, canteens, fencing, security systems, paving, bulk services, communication systems, lighting, substations, and general machinery, plant, and equipment.
The site comprises two leases—Lease L36049 (12 266 m²) and Lease L306091 (12 859 m²)—with Lease L36049 being a brownfield site featuring an administration building, office block, and workshop.
Nkumbuzi Ben-Mazwi, Acting Port of Durban port manager, stated, “The issuance of this RFP signifies our ongoing and intentional efforts to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the Port of Durban.”
The Port of Durban, one of Africa’s busiest ports, handles approximately 60% of South Africa’s container traffic, making the Maydon Wharf precinct a critical hub for general cargo. The RFP aligns with TNPA’s strategy to involve private sector participation to improve infrastructure and operational capacity, following challenges such as equipment shortages and congestion. In 2023, a similar bidding process for Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 resulted in a contested award to International Container Terminal Services Inc., which remains unresolved due to legal disputes.
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), a division of Transnet SOC Limited, manages South Africa’s eight commercial seaports as a landlord authority, providing port infrastructure and maritime services.
Transnet SOC Limited is a state-owned freight transport and logistics company in South Africa, operating ports, railways, and pipelines to facilitate economic growth.