President Ramaphosa opens new Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially opened the R300-million Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal at the Port of Durban on Wednesday.

The project to design and build a new cruise line terminal in Durban began in 2019, to replace the goods shed. The event comes at the start of the 2023-2024 cruise season in South Africa. It is expected that 70 ships will dock in Durban.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers keynote address at new cruise terminal in Durban

MSC Cruises Managing Director, Ross Volk says the opening of the new Nelson Mandela cruise terminal at the Port of Durban is the culmination of a 10-year journey to replacing the old goods shed that was used for this purpose.

Volk says the Transnet National Port Authority began discussions with MSC Cruises and other stakeholders about designing and building a new cruise terminal.

A R30 million yacht club was recently added.

Volk says tourism prospects are looking up this year after the COVID-19 pandemic, with 75 vessels expected to berth at the terminal in the 2023/2024 cruise season.

“I think tourism is one of the biggest game changers we can possibly have in South Africa. It’s the route to solving all of our unemployment problems, and it’s also the route to bring foreign investment in. South Africans are some of the most friendly in the world. I think we’ve got a great product. And it’s vitally important that we succeed in our tourism endeavour to ensure that we bring more and more people to South Africa to experience it, to bring money here, and to create jobs. I think that’s the secret to our success in the future.”