THE DURBAN SHIPPING CHAMBER : Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy
- Business Sense
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC is proud to launch the Durban Shipping Chamber,a strategic initiative aligned to South Africa’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy and designed to strengthen Durban’s position as Africa’s premier port city and maritime gateway. Led by Durand Richard Naidoo, the Durban Shipping Chamber will unite stakeholders across shipping, logistics, ports, and marine services to drive collaboration, industry growth, and policy alignment.Durban is South Africa’s primary maritime gateway, handling the majority of national container throughput and linking the South African economy to global trade. While the Durban Port Forum currently provides a platform for operational issue resolution, Durban lacks a private sector-driven, commercially oriented structure that focuses on business development, investment attraction, and maritime sector competitiveness.
Against this backdrop, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC has established the Durban Shipping Chamber. A key focus of this initiative will be supporting SME participation in the maritime economy by reducing friction across the logistics value chain, creating greater stickiness within international supply chains, and unlocking Durban’s full potential as a globally competitive trade and maritime hub. As the voice of business, we believe that this structure elevates the Durban Shipping Chamber into a leadership position within the maritime economy, expanding influence beyond port operations to the broader shipping value chain.
This new structure aims to act as a unified private-sector maritime voice and drive deal-flow and attract maritime sector investment.As organised business, we recognize that there has long been a structural gap within the maritime ecosystem, one that the Durban Shipping Chamber now fulfills. Therefore, the Durban Shipping Chamber complements eThekwini Maritime Cluster (EMC) and South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA) by serving as a dedicated platform where commercial opportunities are advanced and industry growth is driven. As the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC, we are excited about the launch of the Durban Shipping Chamber which I am confident will serve as a catalyst for growth within the sector,” says Palesa Phili, Chief Executive Officer.
“Further details about upcoming meetings will be shared in due course through our DCCI database, and I strongly encourage all relevant stakeholders to participate and make a difference because together, we can make a lasting impact.”
<ENDS>About the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC Founded in 1856, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC is the largest member-based metropolitan chamber in Southern Africa. We represent approximately 3,000 businesses in eThekwini and beyond, ranging from multinationals to corporates and SMMEs. Since 2019, we also represent 54,000 informal sector businesses through their business associations. Policy and advocacy are at the heart of our work and we assist members with securing trade and investment opportunities locally and internationally, providing business advisory services (CIPC, Certificate of Origin, ITC checks, HR consultancy and more) across a broad spectrum of sectors, engaging thought leadership through forum webinars and other networking events, sharing business information through digital platforms, and also sourcing business insights through occasional questionnaires. The Durban Chamber advocates and influences policy decisions that affect the interests of business (tax legislation, import and export regulations and more), offering member benefits and providing information relevant to business decision-making. As a business-based and member-focused organisation, our strategic purpose is to help create a conducive economic and business environment to facilitate and promote economic growth in the region in partnership with key stakeholders.
For more info, contact the Durban Chamber on 031 335 1000 or info@durbanchamber.co.za Our website is www.durbanchamber.co.za
