Transnet National Ports Authority has increased spending on marine infrastructure with the delivery of eight new hydraulic shore tension mooring units. The equipment is intended to improve container handling at the ports of Cape Town, Durban and Ngqura.
The units are part of TNPA’s R534 million programme to update port assets and cut vessel delays, especially during periods of poor weather.
Acting Chief Executive Mohammed Abdool said the timing of the investment is important as climate change leads to stronger winds and higher swells at South Africa’s ports.
He said the new mooring equipment plays a key role in supporting rising container volumes and in shortening turnaround times for shipping lines and terminal operators.
South Africa’s container trade continues to grow, supported mainly by agricultural exports.
From April to December 2025, TNPA handled about 3.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units, which was 2.3 per cent above its budget.
TNPA expects container volumes to reach 4.5 million TEUs in the 2025/26 financial year, exceeding its target of 4.4 million.
In Cape Town, four units are already in operation at container berths, increasing the port’s total to 14, the highest number in the country.
Durban and Ngqura each received two units, which are now in the final stages of commissioning.
Nationally, TNPA has taken delivery of 32 units out of a planned total of 52.
Each hydraulic unit is 7.4 metres long and 2 metres high and is built to secure larger vessels with high-strength mooring lines, allowing safer berthing and more efficient operations.
By improving reliability and limiting weather-related disruptions, TNPA aims to support shipping lines and strengthen South Africa’s role in global trade.
source: africaports.co.za
