South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will speak at the grand opening of the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday 22 November. This is reported by
Pretoria News, a partner of TV BRICS.

The cruise terminal was designed and built by a private company and a consortium that will also operate the terminal in partnership with the government.

Some R330 million (US$18 million) has been spent on the new terminal, which will make Durban a destination for cruise ships, with government officials saying domestic expertise was used for the project.

“The company envisioned the terminal to be a modern and technologically advanced facility, providing complete comfort for guests. The multi-user terminal has made Durban an even more attractive destination for cruise ships from all over the world,” the company said.

According to Statista, the value of the South African cruise industry is on an upward trend and will grow at an annual rate of 7.6 per cent between 2023 and 2027.

The value of the domestic cruise market is expected to be around $40 million by 2027.

South Africa’s only cruise ship destination Cape Town, located at the V&A Waterfront, is experiencing a revitalisation of its cruise terminals following the easing of pandemic-related travel restrictions around the world.

According to local media, around 75 cruise ships docked in Cape Town last year. In 2022, Cape Town’s cruise terminal was recognised as the best in Africa.

Photo:
Pretoria News