General Description
Location: The Port of East London is a river port located at the mouth of the Buffalo River in the Eastern Cape. (between Port Elizabeth and Durban).
General overview: The Port of East London has 13 berths that can handle various types of cargo and a drydock for ship bottom repair.
The port is well-connected to rail and road systems to Free State, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal, making it a gateway to Africa and the global market. It also has the largest grain elevator in South Africa, capable of handling imports and exports.
However, oil tankers are only allowed during the daytime, and no vessel can enter the port after 20:00 every day or after 16:00 on Sundays and national holidays.
The main imports include vehicles, vehicle components, petroleum products, maize, machinery, and chemicals, while the main exports include vehicles, scrap metal, maize, confectionery, prepared pineapple products, timber, and chemicals.
Terminals:
- Motor Vehicle Terminal
- Container Terminal
- Grain Elevator Terminal
- General Cargo Terminal
- Tank Farm Terminal
- East London Shipyard
Handling Equipment:
- Mobile Cranes
- Grain Elevators
- Straddle Carriers
- Conveyor System
Storage:
- Oil Tanks
- Grain Silos
- Open Yards
- Warehouses
Traffic figures: Approx. 2,300,000t of cargo, 67,700TEU and 430 vessels handled annually.
Load line zone: Summer
Max size: The maximum length overall (LOA) allowed at this port is 245m, and there are no restrictions on the maximum beam of the vessel.
The maximum allowable draught is 10.4m on any tide, and 10.7m may be permitted on high tide by making prior arrangements with the Port Captain.
There is also a designated tanker berth that can accommodate vessels with a LOA of up to 204m and a maximum draught of 9.9m.