Location
Latitude 33 ° 54' S
Longitude 18 ° 26' E
Port Limits
Westwards by straight line between Green Point and Robben Island lighthouses,
northwards by straight line from Robben Island, eastwards to the eastern shore of Table Bay,
southwards along the high water mark to include the foreshore to the castle and back to the Green Point Lighthouse.
Description of Position
The Port of Cape Town lies in the shadow of Table Mountain, approximately 120 nautical miles north west of Cape Agulhas strategically positioned almost at the southern tip of the African continent.
The port serves cargoes moving between Europe and the western hemisphere and the Middle East and Australia,
especially containers.
Hours of Business
The Port of Cape Town Bay is open 24 hours, 365 days a year, although cargo working may be restricted on official public holidays.
Cape Town Port Layout
Depth
The depth at the entrance channel is 15.9m, with 15.4m at the entrance to Duncan Dock,
and 14m at the entrance to Ben Schoeman Dock.
The depth in Duncan Dock varied between 9.9m near the repair quay to 12.4m at the tanker basin.
Ben Schoeman Dock varies from 9m to 15.5m depth.
Tide
The tide fall at Cape Town is 1.2metres – (Refer to SA Navy Tide Tables).
Water Density
Seawater density in the harbour is 1.025g/cm³.
Ballast Requirements Vessels should be sufficiently ballasted to navigate safely within the harbour.
Cape Town MPT/ RO-RO Terminal
DUNCAN DOCK
Berth A
274.3 12.0 3 x 4 tonnes Oil industry
Berth B
243.8 12.0 – –
Berth C
213.4 10.7-12.2 18 x 4 tonnes Fruit exports
Berth D
185.0 9.1-10.7 – –
Berth E
225.6 9.1-12.2 – Containers/General cargo
Berth F
249.9 12.2 – Timber/steel/containers
Berth G
249.9 12.2 23 x 4 tonnes Paper/machinery/general cargo
Berth H
318.5 12.8 2 x 5 tonnes General cargo
Berth J
249.9 10.7 – Cement/fertilizer/agricultural
Berth K
249.9 10.7 – Fish & related products
Berth L
246.3 10.7 – Scrap steel
Berth M
261.8 10.7 – –
Dry dock/ship repair facilities
Transnet National Ports Authority owns and operates two dry docks, a repair quay and a synchrolift. Robinson Dry Dock
Situated at Victoria Basin, overall docking length 161,2 m, length on bottom = 152,4 m, width at entrance top 20,7 m, maximum width at bottom = 17,2 m, depth over entrance sill HWOST = 7,9 m.
Sturrock Dry Dock Situated at Duncan Dock, overall docking length 360 m, length on bottom (dock floor) = 350,4 m, width at entrance top = 45,1 m, maximum width at bottom
(dock floor) = 38,4 m, depth 14 m, depth over entrance sill HWOST = 13,7 m. A docking length of 369,6 m can be achieved by placing the caisson in the emergency stop at the entrance. The dock can be divided into two
compartments of either 132,5 m and 216,1 m or 205,7 m and 142,9 m. Repair Quay Length 456 m, landing wall 548 m.
SYNCHROLIFT can handle 1 806 tonnes and vessels up to 61 m in length and 15 m in width. Repair lanes available (length) = 2 x 70 m, 1 x 55 m, 2 x 75 m. Work is undertaken by private companies and services
include, ship repair, engineering, refrigeration, hydraulics, cleaning and painting.