Western Cape Government outlines four decisive actions to improve efficiency at the Port of Cape Town

Date issued:
23 June , 2026

The Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has today outlined four targeted interventions to proactively improve operational efficiency at the Port of Cape Town following the release of the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025.

The latest CPPI ranked the Port of Cape Town last out of 400 global container ports, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated action to strengthen performance, enhance reliability, and improve South Africa’s trade competitiveness.

“Ports are critical enablers of economic growth, trade, and job creation. The performance of the Port of Cape Town directly impacts exporters, particularly in the agriculture and perishables sectors. While recent data shows encouraging improvements in vessel turnaround times, urgent and sustained interventions are required to address systemic inefficiencies,” said Minister Meyer.

Four priority actions

The Western Cape Government, through the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), has identified four priority actions to drive performance improvements:

Strategic engagement with the World Bank CPPI team

DEDAT will initiate formal engagement with the World Bank team responsible for the CPPI to ensure greater transparency and alignment in performance measurement.

This engagement will include:

Comparing port call data used by the World Bank with the Western Cape Government’s Digital Logistics Planning Platform (DLPP)
Discussing the methodology behind the administrative component of the index
Collaborating on the further development of the DLPP into a globally recognised port community system
Inviting the World Bank to participate in future stakeholder engagements in Cape Town

High-level engagement with Transnet to reduce vessel turnaround times

The Western Cape Government will intensify engagements with Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), and Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to implement operational improvements.

Key interventions include:

Mitigating disruptions such as wind-related stoppages
Improving vessel sequencing at berth
Enhancing container stack management to prevent vessel delays
Reducing congestion in landside logistics to ensure timely cargo movement

Coordinated action with port users to minimise congestion

DEDAT will work closely with exporters, importers, and logistics operators to improve coordination and reduce bottlenecks—particularly during peak export periods.

This includes:

Expanding night-shift operations when conditions permit
Increasing use of inland terminals and off-port facilities
Strengthening collaboration on cold-chain and perishable cargo logistics
Promoting greater private sector participation in terminal operations

Elevating port performance in the 2027 stakeholder dialogue

The Western Cape Government will position port performance as a central theme of the 2027 Port of Cape Town stakeholder dialogue.

The World Bank and key industry leaders will be invited to participate, ensuring alignment on global best practices and fostering collaborative solutions to improve performance outcomes.

Encouraging signs of progress

Minister Meyer noted that despite the poor CPPI ranking, there are signs of progress. Data from the Western Cape Government’s Digital Logistics Planning Platform shows a 33% improvement in vessel port call times in 2026 year-to-date compared to the same period in 2025.

“This demonstrates that targeted interventions can yield results. Our focus now is to sustain and accelerate these improvements through strong partnerships and data-driven decision-making,” he said.

Minister Meyer emphasised that while these action steps are being implemented, the Western Cape Government will continue to advocate for greater private sector involvement in the management of container terminals at the Port of Cape Town, as is already the case at the Port of Durban, to support improved efficiency and performance.

“Improving the Port of Cape Town’s efficiency is essential to unlocking export growth, safeguarding jobs, and strengthening the province’s position as a leading trade gateway.”

“We are committed to working with all stakeholders to build a more efficient and globally competitive port system that supports economic growth and jobs in the Western Cape and South Africa as a whole,” concluded Minister Meyer.