Info

Durban : Functions

Dredgers

Established in 1988,this independent service centre within Transnet National Ports Authority is dedicated solely to dredging and sounding.It acts on a contract basis as an in-house contractor to the ports. Durban houses the head office,co-ordinating the administrative duties and overall deployment of the fleet.Durban also has a branch office along with Richards Bay and East London,which is responsible for work at all ports between East London and Walvis Bay.

Radio/port control

The Port of Durban port control and the signal station are manned 24 hours a day,seven days a week.The port working channel is VHF channel 12 and 2182 kHz frequency is monitored by the Bluff Signal Station only.

Radio advice

The Port of Durban port control and the signal station are manned 24 hours a day,seven days a week.The port working channel is VHF channel 12 and 2182 kHz frequency is monitored by the Bluff Signal Station only. To Port Health,Durban –Direct through Durban Radio,to be given between 24 and 48 hours prior to arrival,advising ETA,last port of call,date sailed,number of crew,full inoculation and vaccination status and state of health of crew and requesting radio entry. Port Health Authorities will cable the vessel directly,either granting entry or requesting further details.

To Port Captain –Direct through Durban Radio,48 hours prior to arrival,advising estimated time of arrival,draft freeboard and reasons for calling at the port and any hazardous cargo being carried. the caissons.

Limitations e.g. harbour entrance depth

Limitations e.g. harbour entrance depth The entrance channel has a depth of 12,8 m from Chart Datum,and a width of 122 m between the caissons.

Day Time Port limitations
Maximum length
243,8 m (800 ft)
Maximum beam
35,0 m (115 ft)
Maximum draught
11,9 m (38 ft), 12,2 m (40 ft)
subject to Port Captain ’s permission and tidal restrictions.
Night time limitations
Maximum length
200,0 m (660 ft)
Maximum beam
26,0 m (85 ft)
Maximum draught
11,6 m (38 ft)
Larger vessels may be accommodated on request to the Port Captain.

Pilotage

Pilotage is compulsory.The pilot rendezvous point is three nautical miles N.E.of the port entrance on the leading lights.During daylight hours,pilot embarkation/disembarkation is by means of a helicopter,unless otherwise advised.It is hoped to extend this service shortly to a 24 hour service.When pilot is embarking by pilot culter,pilot ladders must comply with SOLAS regulations.All vessels with a freeboard in excess of 9,0 m must have an accommodation ladder rigged in conjunction with the pilot ladder.Man ropes must be provided.Two fast pilot boats are equipped with radar and VHF telephone.

Navigation

All shipping movements within the port limits are controlled by the Port Captain.

Ballast requirements

Vessels must be sufficiently ballasted to permit safe navigation within the port.

Only clean, locally loaded ballast water is permitted to be discharged in the port.

Assistance e.g.tugs

Being the busiest port on the African continent,and the leading general/container port in the southern hemisphere,Durban obviously requires the most extensive tug fleet.The tugs are owned and operated by Transnet National Port Authority,which controls the tug fleets in all the South African ports. The traffic of the Port of Durban keeps the tugs at a high level of utilisation.handling+/-800 pilotage shipping movements on a monthly basis. (A peak was reached in 1996/97 of 11,155 pilotage movements,total GRT 182 191 000 tons.) At present the ship handling needs of the port are served by six identical Schottel type tugs and one Niigata Z-Peller tug.Bollard pulls range from 32 to 39 tons. All tugs are maintained to SAMSA ’s class 8 standards and provide fire-fighting and salvage capabilities in addition to normal shipping duties. In additon to the seven tugs there are:

Heavy Lift Service -Two self propelled floating cranes.

NEW TUGS: Two custom built,state-of-the-art Voith-class vessels,with a 50-ton bollard pull.

Documentation

The following documents should be available on berthing at the Port of Durban and are requested at each South African port even from vessels on the South African coastal route. Please contact your local shipping agent for further details.

Immigration

Customs

Port health

Agents

Working hours Berths

Pilotage,berthing and tug services are available 24 hours a day,seven days a week.

Dry dock and Floating dock

Office hours:Monday to Friday except public holidays:07:00 to 17:00. Movement of ships in and out of docks is restricted to docking 06:00 to 18:00,undocking 06:00 to 18:00,seven days a week.Ships undocked during the hours of darkness must be less than 200 m in length and have main and auxiliary machinery in good working order.

Dry dock/ship repair facilities

The Port of Durban is equipped to handle ship repairs at the Prince Edward Graving Dock (which can be divided into two compartments)and on a floating dock at Bayhead,while small craft are repaired on a slipway.

Slipway

Overall length
19,81m
Maximum length permitted
19,80 m
Width
5,00 m
Maximum displacement
50 ton
Maximum draft
2,70 m

Prince Edward Graving Dock

Overall docking length
352,04 m
Length on keel blocks
327,66 m
Length on bottom
352,04 m
Width at entrance top
33,52 m
Width at coping
42,21 m
Inner Dock
138,68 m
Outer Dock
206,90 m
Depth on Entrance MHWS
12,56 m
Depth on inner sill MHWS
13,17 m

The Prince Edward Graving Dock can be divided into 2 compartments of 206,9 m and 138,68 m.The graving dock can be emptied in 4 hours. 5 electric cranes serve this dock ranging from 50 ton to 10 ton.

Floating Dock

The floating dock has a lifting capacity of 4 500 tons and has two 5 ton electric cranes capable of travelling the full length of the starboard and port side of the dock.

Overall length
109 m
Length on bottom
109 m
Length on keel blocks
95 m
Overall width
23.34 m
Width at entrance
22 m
Height on keel blocks
1.40m
Draught on keel blocks at MHWS
60 m
Lifting capacity displacement
4 500 ton
2 x Electric cranes (1 port &1 starboard)
5 ton

ELDOCK -privately operated floating dock

Operated by Elgin,Brown and Hamer Group offering a full range of services.

Length
155 m
Length over floor
140 m
Entrance width
23,5 m
Lifting capacity
8500 tons
Vessel draught
6,3 m

For further information and bookings,contact:Rob Deane,Raphael Imbrioscia,Giani,Harry Dean,Martin Cloete,Craig Dickson,Garth Harper (Dock Master)
Tel:(031)205-6391
Fax:(031)205-1785
e-mail:shiprep@iafrica.com

Working Hours

Working Hours Ships undocked at night must be less than 200 m in length and must have main engines and auxiliary machinery in working order. While Transnet National Port Authority provide the dockyard facilities,repairs are carried out by private contractors. Vessels are booked on a first-come-first-served basis,dealing directly with the agents who liaise with the ship owners who book the ship repairer.

Average bookings are made 3 months in advance. Transnet National Port Authority is responsible for dry docking the vessel and supplies services such as water and electricity,but once docked,the vessel is handed over to the repairer. Imac and Dorbyl have merged to form Dormac with facilities at the repair quay. Dormac has a private 210 m long deep water repair quay served by a 50 ton crane and workshops established on 68 000 sq.m at Bayhead.They have also been granted permission to sink a buoy which will allow Panamax vessels of 275 m length to berth at the quay. Elgin,Brown and Hamer has a shipyard at Bayhead offering a full range of ship repair services to all types of vessels supported by divisions for electrical engineering,cleaning and painting and a floating dock.