The Newlyn Group introduced the Newlyn PX Bayhead rail terminal, strategically positioned adjacent to the Port of Durban, with the aim of enhancing intra-Africa and local trade and investment opportunities.
Newlyn CEO Raj Balmakhun remarked, “This represents a significant achievement for South Africa, demonstrating what collaboration between the private sector and government can accomplish for the future of our nation and its people.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who attended the unveiling, highlighted the terminal’s completion as a vital enhancement to South Africa’s logistics infrastructure and a symbol of resilience for Durban, the eThekwini metro, KwaZulu-Natal, and the country as a whole.
Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of upgrading local port infrastructure for the success of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stating, “This new terminal will facilitate the swift movement of goods from South Africa to the continent and beyond.”
The unveiling follows Newlyn’s initial investment commitment of R3.1 billion made after the 2019 South African Investment Conference. The current value of the rail terminal development stands at R3.4 billion, enabling the movement of sea, rail, and road cargo through a multimodal hub.
Prior to this development, there was no large-scale rail- and road-connected facility near the Port of Durban capable of managing the high flow of cargo by sea, road, and rail traffic necessary to unlock trade corridors in North and landlocked Southern Africa.
Newlyn emphasized the potential of the AfCFTA, which promotes industrialization and diversification of economies by encouraging regional value chain development and manufacturing. The company stressed that solutions like theirs could unlock more trade, industrial activity, and job opportunities.
Integration of local businesses and communities, as well as skills transfer, were key throughout the development process. The construction phase created 4,013 direct jobs, with over 1,000 full-time jobs during operations, with continuous growth expected.
The facility currently processes approximately 1,400 truck gate movements daily, handling around 380,000 tons of cargo monthly, and is experiencing quarter-on-quarter growth.
Commodities handled at the terminal include copper, project cargoes, cobalt, paper, fertilizers, renewable energy project cargo, zinc, and mining reagents.
The terminal consists of seven warehousing units, with four leased to global logistics major C Steinweg Bridge and three to another global bulk logistics company, Access World. The land for the rail terminal is leased from State-owned operator Transnet.
Covering about 640,000 square meters, including 350,486 square meters under cover and 267,865 square meters of yard, rail siding, and other infrastructure, the terminal is one of the largest multi-modal rail terminals in the southern hemisphere, as highlighted by Newlyn.
