Port of Durban’s Historic Prince Edward Graving Dock Welcomes First 228 M Oil Tanker in Over a Decade

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) welcomed the 228-metre-long crude oil tanker Troy at the historic Prince Edward Graving Dock in the Port of Durban.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker is the first vessel of this size to use the facility in more than a decade.

It is 32.2 m wide and has a deadweight capacity of 73,180 tonnes, making it one of the biggest vessels to ever arrive at the Prince Edward Graving Dock, commissioned in 1924.

This makes it one of Africa’s oldest and most significant ship repair facilities which continues to support the regional economy.

This has been made possible by the increased capacity of the dock after it underwent extensive infrastructure upgrades and modernisations to position itself as one of Africa’s major ship repair facilities.

It also highlights the shipyard’s capability to accommodate large, complex ships sailing on international trade lanes.

In the coming 10 days, the ship will undergo maintenance work and also statutory inspections,, which will help strengthen maritime skills, create jobs and boost the local ship repair value chain.

The successful docking also shows the advantages of TNPA’s R200 million modernisation programme at the Prince Edward Graving Dock.

The initiative involved the installation of 7 new capstans to improve performance and overall productivity.

Durban Port Manager Mpumi Dweba-Kwetana said: “Every vessel entering Prince Edward Graving Dock is more than a maintenance project. It supports specialised maritime skills, creates jobs, strengthens local industries and reinforces Durban’s reputation as a preferred ship repair destination.

“Continued investment in our infrastructure, including plans for a new graving dock and ship lift, will expand our ship repair capacity and ensure the Port remains well positioned to meet future industry demand.”