Two dozen passenger liners to call at Port of Richards Bay

Hundreds of international tourists are once again set to grace the region’s shores this summer, with 25 passenger liners expected to call at the Port of Richards Bay over the 2023/24 cruise season.

The cruise season has been declared open by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) with 175 confirmed vessel call-ins bringing an estimated 166 933 passengers to the country’s ports, including Richards Bay.

“Our ports are at the heart of driving economic growth and social sustainability, acting as gateways for international trade.

“At the core of our readiness for this year’s cruise season is to ensure our port infrastructure is reliable and efficient to handle passenger vessels of any size,” said TNPA managing executive for Western Region ports Advocate Phyllis Difeto.

TNPA says it anticipates that as the season progresses, more vessels will be confirmed.

The season comes amid proposed plans for the development of a cruise terminal at the Port of Richards Bay.

The ports authority said this hopes to fulfil the tourism industry’s growth objectives for the City of uMhhlathuze and King Cetshwayo District at large.

In a statement late last year, Dr Bridgette Gasa-Toboti, portfolio director for Mega Projects (KZN Logistics Hub), said: “In alignment to the Department of Tourism’s cruise strategy, TNPA’s strategic position is to offer new and modern terminals that will provide an ideal gateway to a unique South African experience through [the country’s] eight commercial ports.”

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