Andre Klynsmith

Cargo Handling

Richards Bay Opens the Books: Transnet's Dry Bulk Terminal Goes to Market in a Bid to Lift Handling Capacity to 26.9 Million Tonnes

Transnet has opened the bidding race for a private partner at the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal, with qualification submissions due by 31 August 2026. The deal aims to lift the chrome and magnetite gateway from 16.7 million tonnes a year to 26.9 million.

Cargo Handling

4 June 2026 • 4 min read

After ICTSI's takeover at Durban Pier 2 proved the model, Transnet is now applying private sector participation to South Africa's most important dry bulk export terminal. For bulk hauliers, mining shippers and terminal service providers, the August deadline starts the clock on a reshaped Richards Bay.

A Terminal Running Below Its Nameplate

The Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal is the principal export gateway for South Africa's chrome and magnetite, alongside a spread of other bulk commodities. Yet the terminal currently handles around 16.7 million tonnes a year — below its 18.5 million tonne nameplate capacity — a gap driven by ageing handling equipment, maintenance backlogs and the rail constraints that have throttled bulk flows to the port for years.

Transnet issued a Request for Qualification on 20 February 2026 to begin selecting a private sector participation partner for the terminal, and hosted a briefing session with prospective respondents on 19 March. Qualifying bidders will need to demonstrate technical capability, operational experience and financial capacity before advancing to a request for proposal stage.

Why Private Capital, Why Now

The RFQ is a milestone in Transnet's Reinvent for Growth strategy, which has shifted the state logistics group from defending its monopoly to actively recruiting private operators and capital into ports and rail. The playbook is already running at Durban, where ICTSI took over Pier 2 operations, and in the freight rail slots opened to third-party operators on key corridors.

Dry bulk is arguably where private investment can move the needle fastest. Unlike container terminals, bulk handling performance hinges on a relatively small set of assets — tipplers, stacker-reclaimers, conveyors and shiploaders — where targeted equipment renewal and disciplined maintenance can recover lost throughput quickly. A funded partner with bulk terminal experience could close the gap to nameplate within a few seasons, then build toward the 26.9 million tonne target.

The Knock-On Effects for Bulk Logistics

For mining shippers in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West — and for chrome flows that today divert to road or alternative ports when Richards Bay backs up — a higher-performing terminal changes routing decisions. More reliable vessel loading windows reduce demurrage risk and make rail slates easier to plan, while expanded capacity could pull volumes back from costlier road-to-port hauls.

The process also signals where the next opportunities will sit. PSP deals typically draw in specialist service ecosystems: equipment maintenance contractors, stevedoring and staffing providers, weighbridge and sampling services, and short-haul transport between stockpiles, sidings and the quay. Operators in the Richards Bay catchment should watch the RFP stage closely — the winning consortium will be assembling its local supply chain through 2027.

About the Author
	Andre Klynsmith Entrepreneur & Technology Enthusiast Andre's expertise spans technology, blockchain, transport, and logistics -- with a passion for innovation and driving positive change across industries. info@laaimylorrie.com | laaimylorrie.com