PORTS BY COUNTRY · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Ports in South Africa
NaviBoss has port guides for 7 ports in South Africa, 7 of them with the pilot boarding place on the chart. Its coast lies in NAVAREA VII, buoyage follows IALA region A and ships are inspected under the Indian Ocean MOU.
All 7 ports in South Africa
Each name opens its port guide: where the pilot boards, local time and summer time, water density, load line zone, the maximum draft per terminal, reporting before arrival and inspections.
| Port | UN/LOCODE | Pilot | Deepest berth | Warnings area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | ZACPT | Yes | 15.0 m | NAVAREA VII |
| Durban | ZADUR | Yes | 22.4 m | NAVAREA VII |
| East London | ZAELS | Yes | 10.4 m | NAVAREA VII |
| Mossel Bay | ZAMZY | Yes | 12.0 m | NAVAREA VII |
| Port Elizabeth | ZAPLZ | Yes | 12.8 m | NAVAREA VII |
| Richards Bay | ZARCB | Yes | 18.5 m | NAVAREA VII |
| Saldanha Bay | ZASDB | Yes | 21.3 m | NAVAREA VII |
Navigational warnings
South Africa's waters are in NAVAREA VII. A ship there keeps the in-force warnings of that area, and of any NAVAREA it passes on the way.
Before you call at South Africa
Pre-arrival reporting
Vessels calling at ports in South Africa are expected to provide information regarding customs, immigration, health and agents. The use of shipping agents to complete the clearance process is recommended. Please see pre-arrival information of individual ports for more details.
Inspection of ships
The Director, Shipping Competence, Department of Transport
Private Bag X193, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Tel: +27 12 290 2904.
Fax: +27 12 290 2914.
Search and rescue
The Chief Director, Civil Aviation Administration, Department of Transport
Private Bag X193, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Tel: +27 12 290 2485.
Fax: +27 12 323 1692.
A further function of Port Control is search and rescue operations at sea or along the coast. There is a section of Port Control set aside for search and rescue operations which the Assistant Port Captains (APC's) run after handling the running of the port over to a senior pilot.
The APC will have communication with the NSRI base, South African Air Force, South African Navy and the various coastal radio stations for long distance communications.
In any search and rescue exercise, shipping in the vicinity of a distressed ship is of most importance and can be of assistance to vessels in distress. Communication with these vessels is done through Durban Radio or one of the other Coastal Radio Stations.
All telephone calls and radio messages are tape recorded and the tapes are changed every 24 hours and kept for an indefinite period in case of marine accidents, queries from agents over delays, disputes over telephone messages and so on.
South Africa - New MRCC in Cape Town:
A new Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) has been opened in Cape Town to cover sea areas extending up to 3,500nm into the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and to Antartica, when the planned Sub Centres in Angola, Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique and Namibia are opened.
ISPS (ship and port security)
ISPS Compliance: SA Port Authority (TRANSNET)reports that South Africa's 7 commercial ports are fully compliant with the ISPS Code.
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Head Office
Tel : (011) 351-9192
Fax: (011) 351-9196
Cell: 083 284 8210
ludwigb@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
Richardsbay
Tel.: (035) 905-3146
Fax: (035) 905-3133
Cell: 083 417 2162
yogank@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
Durban
Tel.: (031) 361-3771
Fax: (031) 361-3759
Cell: 083 286 2094
HennieST@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
East London
Tel.: (043) 700-2421
Fax: (043) 700-2070
Cell: 083 417 3920
grahamk@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
Port Elizabeth
Tel.: (041) 507-1773
Fax: (086) 500-7478
Cell: 083 301 2659
Mossel Bay
Tel.: (044) 604-6273
Fax: (044) 604-6232
Cell: 072 708 4378
deringj@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
Cape Town
Tel.: (021) 449-4270
Fax: (021) 449-2274
Cell: 083 376 8826
thembanig@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
Saldanha
Tel.: (022) 701-4344/5
Fax: (022) 714-3017
Cell: 083 285 3505
Sonwabog@Transnet National Port Authority.co.za
Dialling code +27. · The South African Rand (Rand).
These country notes come from public port references and some may be several years old. Check with your agent.
Questions about ports in South Africa
How many ports in South Africa have a NaviBoss port guide?
7 ports, 7 of them with at least one pilot boarding place on the chart. Each guide gives the pilot station, local time, water density, load line zone, maximum draft per terminal, pre-arrival reporting and inspections.
Which NAVAREA is South Africa in?
South Africa's ports lie in NAVAREA VII (7). Navigational warnings for those waters are broadcast by that area's coordinator.
Which IALA buoyage region does South Africa use?
IALA region A: red to port when entering harbour.
Who carries out Port State Control in South Africa?
Ships calling at South Africa are inspected under the Indian Ocean MOU.
What time zone are South Africa's ports in?
UTC+2, with no summer time.
Which port in South Africa takes the deepest draft?
Of the ports with a figure, Durban: its deepest listed berth takes 22.4 m. Check the terminal and the latest port notices before you plan to it.
More guides
- Ports by countryevery country with port guides
- Sea distances between portsreal distances on shipping lanes
- NAVAREA warningsthe 21 areas and who broadcasts them
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NaviBoss guides are written and checked by maritime industry experts, masters and deck officers. Each one is built from the same data the planner uses, dated, and rebuilt when that data changes. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.
A planning aid, not for navigation. Check official charts and publications, the latest notices and your company's instructions before you rely on any figure here.