Africa's biggest and busiest container terminal, the Durban Container Terminal ranks among the top in the world and recently pioneered a world class rail dual cycle operation on the container planning system Navis.
The terminal has a combined capacity of 3.6 million TEU per annum, which will increase to 4 million TEU after the berth extension. Work is in progress to deepen terminal draft to 16m. Established in July 1977, the Durban Container Terminal operates as two terminals Pier 1 and Pier 2, handling 65% of South Africa’s (SA) container volumes. It is ideally located to serve as a hub for containerized cargo from the Indian Ocean Islands, Middle East, Far East and Australia.
In 2013, DCT pier 2 was declared the Best performing container terminal in Africa - Durban Container Terminal; Container Management top 120 World Container terminal survey 2013. DCT pier 2 also pioneered a World-class rail dual cycle operation on Navis in March 2013, while it serves as a gateway to neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and other landlocked regions like the Kingdoms of Swaziland and Lesotho.
Currently the only terminal in Africa with tandem lift cranes with a carrying capacity of 80 tons at a time, DCT can handle new generation vessels with 24 containers stowed across the deck. Billions have been set aside for the terminal's re-engineering and boosting of existing equipment fleet.