While all container berths at the port have official minimum depths of 12.8m, berths 105 and 107 at Pier 1 and berths 200, 204 and 205 at Pier 2 have been re-classed between 11.6m and 11.9m. Durban’s berths are already shallow relative to its international importance.

Some sources blame a lack of maintenance dredging. Two Durban dredgers have undergone repairs at the same time in recent months, so this could be partly to blame. However,  Transnet believes that the growing size of container ships is the core problem, as mud is stirred up by ship propellers and bow thrusters. Some of the resulting debris then settles in  the container berths. In addition, the two container terminals are operating close to capacity, so there are limited gaps between ship visits for dredging to take place. 

Maritime insurance firm Skuld has reported that a sandbank may be forming across the harbour entrance. It stated: “The harbour master is expected to publish a report shortly on  the issue of dredging as there may have already been a number of previous groundings in the port. As a result of these groundings, the port reduced the under keel clearance in Durban by 30cm.

“While frequency of an incident alone is not a determining factor, the repeat occurrence of an event linked to the same underlying factual issues may indicate that there is a systemic problem. System failures can mean there is a port safety issue, although again it will be necessary to consider each incident on its own merits.” 

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This complete item is approximately 300 words in length, and appeared in the July 2015 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 1. To access this issue download the PDF here.