Ports, Transport and Logistics

‘well equipped to handle port infrastructure mandates, including ports development’ – Chambers and Partners, 2022

  • Overview
  • Significant Matters

Overview

Millions of tons of import and export cargoes move along the logistics corridors of Africa every day, using road, rail and pipelines for carriage between the hinterland and the to ports and use cargo storage facilities and shipment or discharge facilities at the terminals which populate those ports.

Our offering includes advising on port and terminal regulations and legislation, terminal throughput agreements, ISPS, port economic regulation, terminal operating procedures (including rail and stockyard interfaces and management processes), storage contracts, establishment of all infrastructure pertaining to ports, terminals, storage facilities, inland terminals and logistics corridors such as rail and pipelines. Our expertise integrates all of the contractual and regulatory aspects of ports, terminals and logistics corridors with the physical establishment and financing of the infrastructure.

In this context, we also advise our clients on establishing logistics infrastructure, relationships between land and sea users, building contracts from source to sea and equipment and other procurement contracts, as well as project finance and public-private partnerships.

Our service extends to undertaking risk management assessments as well as all litigation between parties to port or terminal operations.

We serve all of the ports in South Africa, including Cape Town, Durban, Ngqura/ Coega, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay and Saldanha and numerous ports in Southern Africa including all Mozambique, Tanzanian and Kenyan ports as well as ports in Namibia, Angola, Madagascar and Mauritius. We are also the listed legal correspondent in the ports of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth for most of the International Group of P&I Clubs.

We have worked on a number of major projects, including the new Durban cruise terminal as well as full rail, terminal and port developments in a number of countries in Africa including Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania.

Our clients include various government departments, international logistics infrastructure developers and operators, shipping lines, national port authorities, financiers and insurers.


African Legal Awards, 2021

Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year

Chambers and Partners, 2022

‘a shipping law powerhouse in South Africa servicing P&I clubs, charterers, owners and banks on an array of wet and dry work’

‘clients benefits from its profound expertise in mortgage foreclosures, ship arrests, vessel collisions and maritime disputes, with extensive experience concerning London-based arbitration’

‘possesses considerable strength in casualty matters’

‘well equipped to handle port infrastructure mandates, including ports development’

Significant Matters