The Kingdom of Lesotho is a landlocked country that relies on South Africa to access the international waters, through the Port of Durban. The country imports and exports 100% of its requirement through the Port of Durban. The Port of Durban, commonly called Durban Harbour, is the largest and busiest shipping terminal in sub-Saharan Africa. It handles up to 31.4 million tons of cargo each year. It is the fourth largest container terminal in the Southern Hemisphere, handling over 3 Million TEU in annually. The port of Durban operates on a common user basis and consists of five business units managed by Transnet Port Terminals or TPT [formerly known as SA Port Operations (SAPO)] - Durban Container Terminal (Africa's busiest), consisting of Pier 1 Container Terminal and the main Durban Container Terminal on Pier 2. The Durban Ro-Ro Terminal handles roll-on, roll off traffic (automotive) in addition to breakbulk cargo and a certain amount of containers. There is also a multi purpose terminal at Maydon Wharf Terminal which also handles containers.
There are a number of other terminals in the port which are managed and operated by private companies, including the Bluff Coaling Terminal known as Bulk Connections, the large Island View oil and petroleum complex, often referred to as the Cutler Complex or simply as Island View, the Fresh Produce Terminal at the T-Jetty and another fruit terminal at Maydon Wharf, the Sugar Terminal and Wood Chip Terminal on Maydon Wharf, SA Bulk Terminals (Rennies) on both Maydon Wharf and Island View in addition to a number of other private facilities mostly at Maydon Wharf.
Currently the only terminal in Africa with tandem lift cranes with a carrying capacity of 80 tons at a time, DCT can handle new generation vessels with 24 containers stowed across the deck. Billions have been set aside for the terminal's re-engineering and boosting of existing equipment fleet. In March 2020 Durban Container Terminal was the first terminal in TPT to pioneer the Truck Appointment System to ease to container and truck traffic on Durban roads.
