Donald Kau, the National Ports Authority's (NPA) media liaison officer, said on Friday that the planned investment in Richards Bay would "turn the tide of the historical under-investment in port infrastructure".
The R2 billion earmarked for investment in the dry dock facility is second to the R2.4 billion development of Coega.
The dry dock project was delayed for years because of wrangling between Portnet and Rowdock, the consortium originally chosen to develop the facility. The tender has not yet been re-awarded, but talks are being held with several interested international consortiums.
In terms of the NPA's overall strategy, each port has a niche role to play.
Richards Bay, the largest deep water harbour in South Africa, with huge tracts of land still available for development, fits into the puzzle as the biggest mineral and raw material cargo handling port.
The Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), the largest coal export terminal in the world, announced a R600 million expansion, in which black empowerment company South Dunes Coal Terminal has a 65 percent stake.
The expansion will increase RBCT's to 82 million tons a year, with the additional tonnage expected to generate $300 million a year and boost annual coal exports to $2.4 billion.
Kau said additional berths were being planned to handle the expected increase in bulk and break-bulk exports from Richards Bay industries.
These include the expected 80 percent increase in phosphoric acid exports from Foskor whose controversial R1.5 billion expansion is expected to increase output from 450 000 tons to 780 000 tons a year.
A feasibility study is being performed to evaluate whether an existing berth should be converted into a specialist container handling facility.
The number of containers handled at Richards Bay is expected to increase with projects valued at R15 billion in the pipeline for the recently gazetted industrial development zone next to the port.
Kau said the NPA was prioritising the need to respond as quickly as possible to customers' requirements.
"The strategy for Richards Bay is to put facilities in place that will provide high speed and high value cargo handling and a fast turnaround of vessels."
Dumisane Nyawo, the regional organiser for the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), said labour's main concern was possible job losses as a result of restructuring arising from the concessioning of services to the private sector at Durban and Richards Bay.
No industrial action is yet being planned as any strategy will have to be discussed at the next regional executive committee meeting, which will not be held until next year.