Agriport South Africa
Located on Durban's Maydon Wharf, is Agriport. Agriport has been taken over by the SA Port Operations, which has amalgamated in the SAPO Systems, including the Agriport personnel.
Agriport has been a joint venture between Viamax and SAPO; with Viamax as a subsidiary of Transport. Agriport had the first grain elevator, which was built in 1927, and was the countries largest elevator with a 42 000 ton capacity. This tonnage was only exceeded in the 1960’s when East London built a grain elevator.
A wood chip plant was located next to Agriport and a modernization plan started in regard to the erection of a modern concrete building with new shiploaders. Eventhough Agriport has become part of SAPO, it will still have to compete with Bidfreight Bulk Terminals, that also operate from Island View and Maydon Wharf.
Due to maintenance shutdowns of BP and Shell refineries, and Engen in the city, bunker supplies in Durban and Richards Bay are in short supply. Bunker supplies are rescheduled to be back to normal soon, with the assistance of the bunker vessel, Dolphin Coast.
Agriport is a multi purpose terminal, and merges two separate terminals, Bulk Metal and Combi, terminals. This means the amalgamation of infrastructures and the ability to manage a variety of cargo consisting of neo-bulk, containers and break bulk.
SAPO is underway with large scale modifications and upgrades to all the ports and harbors that fall underneath it. Concentrating on infrastructures, buildings and quay modifications and general service delivery. Together with the taking on of Agriport, it can only become stronger and more aggressive in the facilitating of ports across South Africa. A total expenditure of R1.1 billion has been set aside for SAPO for the upgrading process. The Durban Container Terminal will increase their cranes to 19, with the latest addition of two more cranes, and older equipment will undergo maintenance or replacement. A new Container Terminal was inaugurated at Pier 1, by SAPO, and once completed (completion estimated to be 2008/9), it will have an annual TEU capacity of 500 000. Just a few examples of transformations brought about through the efforts of SAPO.