Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is reconstructing the quay walls at Maydon Wharf in the port of Durban.

Overseen by Transnet Capital Projects, the objective is to ensure safe operations, meet the needs of larger vessels and increase throughputs.

Six of the 15 berths in the Wharf precinct are to be reconstructed and deepened to 14.5m, enabling them to handle vessels with draughts up to 13m. The Maydon Wharf entrance channel will also have to be deepened to enable these vessels to sail in fully laden.

The quay walls in the precinct were originally designed to handle vessels of approximately 20 000 DWT. Today, 55 000 DWT vessels are handled, although bigger vessels frequently enter half-laden due to current draught and width restrictions.

Berths 1-2 and 13-14 are currently under construction, following the reconstruction of berth 12, which was completed in November 2012. Berths 3-4 will be under construction early in 2016.