Land reclamation application in the Port of Durban
Public comment window open on TNPA's proposed Durban port land reclamation
SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet National Ports Authority is seeking approval to reclaim 22.4 hectares of land within the Port of Durban between the existing Point multi-purpose terminal quay wall and a proposed new Point Container Terminal quay wall.
The application was gazetted today, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, 2008 (ICM Act), by Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp who has opened a 60-day window period for public submissions to comment.
This is a formal statutory process and all interested parties with a stake in the country's coastal environment, port operations, shipping, fishing or related industries should take note of the opportunity to engage.
TNPA is seeking in-principle ministerial approval to reclaim the 22.4 hectares which will require approximately four million cubic metres of infill material to complete the project.
The primary source of infill material would be an authorised sandwinning site located offshore, near the port entrance. If additional material is needed, TNPA indicates that the existing site may be extended or that a new, alternative site would be identified.
The reclamation forms part of TNPA's broader KZN Ports Master Plan, which aims to reconfigure the Port of Durban and the Port of Richards Bay to establish Durban as a container hub port serving both South Africa and the wider Southern African region.
TNPA operates eight ports across South Africa and the proposed Durban expansion is central to its strategy of growing port capacity ahead of demand. The authority aims to increase Durban's container throughput to between 10 and 11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), which would represent a substantial increase over current capacity.
If the reclamation proceeds, the new land would be developed to accommodate a new quay wall and berths for container vessels; infrastructure for ultra-large container ships (ULCS); operating harbour cranes; container stacking yards for imports and exports; and land and water areas reserved for future expansion.
TNPA argues that the expansion would improve container handling efficiency, reduce logistical costs and create new economic opportunities, all without the need to construct an entirely new port. Areas D-G in the Port of Durban's Point Precinct would be consolidated into a single facility known as the Point Container Terminal.
Environmental considerations
The ICM Act requires that any reclamation of land from coastal waters be subjected to a rigorous public consultation and authorisation process. This is because the sea is regarded as coastal public property and its use must not undermine the objectives of integrated and sustainable coastal development or equitable access to the coast.
The gazette notice acknowledges that the land reclamation process would involve dredging and infilling activities that may affect benthic sediments and increase water turbidity. Fish stocks entering the harbour may be temporarily impacted. The ICM Act pre-approval process is distinct from, and does not replace, the separate environmental impact assessment (EIA) required under the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (NEMA). Both processes will need to be completed before any reclamation can begin.
PHOTO: Area where proposed land reclamation will take place in the Port of Durban (left) and areas where refill material will be sourced (right). (Source: Government Gazette)
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