This multimodal rail terminal, billed as the largest of its kind in Africa, is set to play a key role in solving the age-old problem of freight congestion between Johannesburg and Durban.

On April 4, 2024, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa inaugurated a new multi-purpose rail terminal at the Port of Durban. The infrastructure, named Newlyn PX Terminal, represents an investment of 2.6 billion rand (nearly 140 million USD). Comprising 640,000 m2 of warehousing, sidings and open storage, it can accommodate 7 unit trains of 100 20-foot equivalent units (TEU).

The hub was built to help reduce freight congestion along the N3 corridor linking Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa's two main economic hubs. According to the government, its operationalization could be the beginning of a solution to the persistent congestion in the port of Durban and improve overall economic performance. This problem, which affects two major elements of the country's logistics system, is affecting the mining industry, citrus fruit exports, and so on.

"The terminal is a flagship project that will increase the country's logistics capacity and enhance its global competitiveness as part of the NATCOR trade corridor linking Johannesburg to the port of Durban.

This development will further facilitate the establishment of an integrated ecosystem, which will benefit freight owners, Transnet and logistics service providers. It will also accelerate the achievement of the government's objective of shifting freight from road to rail," said the government in a statement.

Agence Ecofin