Durban’s container port has been recognised as the most improved facility globally in the 2025 World Bank Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), while Cape Town’s port has been ranked at the bottom among the 400 assessed locations.
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According to BusinessTech, the Durban Container Port (DCP), which handles approximately 88 million tonnes of cargo annually, has undergone a remarkable turnaround after being ranked the world’s worst-performing container port in 2024.
The port is operated by state-owned company Transnet and serves as South Africa’s busiest point of entry for cargo.
The CPPI, a ranking developed in partnership with the World Bank and S&P, assesses the operational efficiency of 400 global ports using container ship turnaround times as the primary performance indicator.
In the 2024 rankings, the DCP was listed as the worst-performing container port globally due to high turnaround times and extended waiting periods for ships.
The 2025 rankings showed a dramatic improvement, with the CPPI attributing this to stabilised operations, equipment recovery, and management reforms.
The index also noted that increased public-private partnerships had contributed significantly to the port’s recovery.
The most significant development was the December 2025 awarding of a 25-year concession to International Container Services (ICTSI), a Philippines-based port-operating company, to modernise Durban Container Terminal Pier 2. The deal brought R11 billion in investment into the DCP.
‘The operational gains have been supported by new investments and increased private sector participation,’ the CPPI stated.
While Durban’s port soared in the rankings, Cape Town’s port was left at the bottom. The CPPI attributed this poor performance to uncontrollable factors, including adverse weather conditions and equipment reliability issues, which led to high variability in turnaround times.
However, local stakeholders have contested the findings. Megan Gobey, vice chair of the Cape Chamber of Commerce’s transport and freight industry sector portfolio committee, said the report did not reflect actual operational improvements.
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Despite these objections, stakeholders conceded that the CPPI remains a useful metric for analysing global port performance.
Transnet, which operates both the Durban and Cape Town ports, has recently considered increasing private-sector participation at the Cape Town facility.
The state-owned company has requested bids from companies to manage operations at the Western Cape facility under a 25-year contract.
The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), a Saudi Arabian port operator, has reportedly considered a bid for a portion of the Cape Town facility. This process is ongoing as RSGT seeks to expand its international presence, particularly in Africa.
The private partnership in Durban has delivered clear benefits, with crane efficiency at Pier 2 increasing from 18 to 28 moves per hour since the start of the year.
Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy recently noted that the Port of Cape Town had shown signs of improved performance, recording a 16% increase in container volumes during the first quarter of the 2027 financial year, ahead of the facility’s busiest export season (EWN).
Article shared by Cape Etc.
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