Durbs port turns tide

THE BAD NEWS: RANKED DEAD LAST OUT OF 403 WORLDWIDE BY WORLD BANK

- Ciaran Ryan

Ranked last in the world by the World Bank in 2024, the Port of Durban appears determined to claw its way off the bottom of that list.

The past month has seen the private sector team up with the Border Management Agency (BMA) to address operational issues and improve efficiencies.

According to industry news site Chicken Facts, the reopening of poultry trade with Brazil resulted in a sharp increase in applications for removal permits at the port. These permits are required by the BMA for the release of specific imports, particularly perishable items such as meat.

Turnaround times for the permits have been reduced from 10-12 days to 48 hours, a major improvement in operational efficiency.

The permit backlog was resolved in seven days, assisted by an expanded staff team that now processes an average of 118 removal permits a day.

Port management

The latest operational performance improvements suggest Durban is determined remove itself from the bottom end of the World Bank’s port list.