Following the release last week of the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025 which ranked the Port of Cape Town in last place at 400th place, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, on Tuesday highlighted four targeted interventions to improve efficiency at the Port of Cape Town.
Image: Dr Ivan Meyer Facebook page
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has announced a series of interventions aimed at improving the efficiency of the Port of Cape Town after the facility was ranked the worst-performing container port in the world by the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025.
The Port of Cape Town was placed 400th out of 400 global container ports in the latest index, a ranking that has renewed concerns about South Africa’s logistics performance and its impact on exports, investment and economic growth.
Meyer described the ranking as a stark reminder of the urgent need for coordinated action to address operational inefficiencies and improve the competitiveness of one of the country’s most important trade gateways.
“The performance of the Port of Cape Town directly impacts exporters, particularly in the agriculture and perishables sectors,” Meyer said.
“While recent data shows encouraging improvements in vessel turnaround times, urgent and sustained interventions are required to address systemic inefficiencies.”
In response, the Western Cape Government has identified four priority areas aimed at improving port performance and restoring confidence among exporters, shipping lines and logistics operators.
The first intervention involves direct engagement with the World Bank to better understand the methodology used in compiling the CPPI rankings and to improve transparency around performance measurement.
According to Meyer, the provincial government will compare port call data used by the World Bank with information gathered through its Digital Logistics Planning Platform (DLPP), while also engaging on the administrative component of the index.
The province also intends collaborating with the World Bank on further developing the DLPP into a globally recognised port community system and inviting the institution to participate in future stakeholder engagements.
The second focus area centres on operational improvements in collaboration with Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and Transnet Freight Rail (TFR).
Key measures include reducing wind-related disruptions, improving vessel sequencing at berths, enhancing container stack management and easing congestion in landside logistics operations.
The Port of Cape Town has long been plagued by weather-related delays, equipment failures and congestion, particularly during peak agricultural export seasons when fruit exporters rely heavily on efficient cold-chain logistics.
The third intervention targets greater collaboration across the logistics value chain.
Meyer said the provincial government would work closely with exporters, importers and logistics operators to reduce bottlenecks and improve coordination, particularly during busy export periods.
This will include expanding night-shift operations where possible, increasing the use of inland terminals and off-port facilities, strengthening cold-chain logistics and encouraging greater private sector participation in terminal operations.
The fourth initiative will place port performance at the centre of the 2027 Port of Cape Town stakeholder dialogue, bringing together industry leaders, logistics operators and international experts to identify long-term solutions.
“The World Bank and key industry leaders will be invited to participate, ensuring alignment on global best practices and fostering collaborative solutions to improve performance outcomes,” he said.
Despite the disappointing global ranking, Meyer pointed to signs that recent interventions are beginning to deliver results.
According to data from the Western Cape Government’s Digital Logistics Planning Platform, vessel port call times have improved by 33% during 2026 compared with the same period last year.
“Our focus now is to sustain and accelerate these improvements through strong partnerships and data-driven decision-making,” Meyer said.
He reiterated the province’s support for greater private sector involvement in container terminal operations, similar to reforms already underway at the Port of Durban.
“Improving the Port of Cape Town’s efficiency is essential to unlocking export growth, safeguarding jobs, and strengthening the province’s position as a leading trade gateway,” he said.
“We are committed to working with all stakeholders to build a more efficient and globally competitive port system that supports economic growth and jobs in the Western Cape and South Africa as a whole.”
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