Ports in eastern and southern Africa register slow growth

By Patrick Beja

Ports in the eastern and southern Africa have survived the global economic crunch to register marginal growth.

On average, the 26 ports registered 2.28 per cent growth last year with Richards Bay in South Africa and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania recording the lowest growth at 0.02 per cent and 0.08 per cent respectively.

Traffic at Richards Bay stood at 84, 533,584 metric tonnes last year compared to 84,517,409 metric tonnes in 2007.

Dar es Salaam port handled 7,421,204 metric tonnes compared to 7,427,274 metric tonnes the previous year.

Durban, one of the dominant ports in South Africa, registered only 1.15 per cent growth.

The port posted 41,402,495 metric tonnes last year.

The statistics were released by the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (Pmaesa) secretariat based in Mombasa.

Marginal cargo increase

Pmaesa head of statistics Isaac Onyango, says in a report that whereas last year gives a marginal cargo increase over the 2007 traffic, the rate reflects a general slow down. Total traffic recorded was 3.5 per cent while container growth was 26 per cent.

Containers grew at the rate of 6.1 per cent last year or 6,456,702 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (Teus) compared to 6,083,304 teus.

"South Africa’s premier ports, Richards Bay and Durban, while maintaining high profile and dominant positions in the region, reflected static growth last year," Onyango explained.

He observed that Saldanha, East London and Mossel Bay, also in South Africa, recorded notable cargo increase of 6.5 per cent, 8.2 per cent and 10.7 per cent respectively.

Elizabeth and Cape Town ports registered negative growth last year.