Cape Town: Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomes Port of Cape Town progress and emphasised urgency of private sector management. The City of Cape Town is optimistic of an economic boost from improved Port of Cape Town operations that followed Transnet Investments in dozens of new cranes this year.
The investments also included critical anti-sway technology to protect operations from wind. Mayor Lewis highlighted that the process to involve private sector management in the Port, began in early 2025, which should be completed with urgency.
Mayor Hill-Lewis spoke at the launch of Transnet’s Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes at the port on Wednesday, Sept 17, 2025. An efficient port is essential for creating jobs and the City of Cape Town is optimistic of an economic boost from improved port operations. The new crane forms part of Transnet’s R3.4 billion capital investment.
Lewis explained that the continued investment in port upgrades the private sector involvement in running the port, this remained critical to make progress. The team is looking forward to the urgent completion of national government’s ‘Request For Information’ process on private sector partnerships and investment in ports and freight rail lines.
The officials are openly welcoming Transnet’s plans to develop the Culemborg Intermodal Logistics Precinct. The local planning authority is ready to play an enabling role in the development, which will significantly improve operations, to better back-of-port capacity.
Mayor Lewis further stated that, together the national government, Transnet the City and private sector partners can transform the Port of Cape Town into the world-class port that this great maritime city deserves and needs.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos said that the new ‘anti-sway’ crane technology should improve the port’s ability to cope with weather-related challenges.
Vos explained that the high winds have been an ever-present brake on port efficiency, with exporters at times forced to divert their goods to other ports in Durban, Gqeberha and elsewhere at huge costs.
But now with this new anti-sway crane technology, they are optimistic that operations will go a lot smoother. With these new cranes, they are now able to withstand winds up to 90km. This will go some way to addressing key concerns raised with him recently by the deciduous fruit industry, which cannot afford delays in exporting 80% of its products via Cape Town’s port.
According to the research from the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, an efficient port could create 20,000 new jobs, add R6 Billion in exports and over R1.6 Billion in new tax revenue.