- Limited rail capacity weighs on export volumes
- Iron ore and coal shipments drag overall port volumes
South Africa’s shipments from key bulk export ports declined 13% m-o-m to 11.38 million tonnes (mnt) in May 2026 from 13.09 mnt in April.
The decrease was mainly attributed to lower coal and iron ore exports, reflecting softer export programmes and ongoing logistical constraints across the country’s rail-port network. Limited rail capacity, operational inefficiencies at export terminals, and weaker demand from key import markets continued to weigh on outbound bulk cargo volumes.
- Port Richards Bay: Shipments from Richards Bay fell 10% m-o-m to 7 mnt in May from 7.75 mnt in April. The decline reflected weaker coal export volumes, reduced vessel loadings, and continued logistical bottlenecks across the rail-port supply chain, despite ongoing efforts by Transnet to improve freight operations.
- Port Saldanha: Shipments from Port Saldanha declined 18% m-o-m to 4.38 mnt in May from 5.34 mnt in April, reflecting weaker iron ore exports and lower cargo movements along the Sishen-Saldanha export corridor.
Outlook
South Africa’s bulk export shipments are expected to recover gradually in the coming months, supported by improving rail logistics and steady demand from Asian markets. However, the recovery is likely to be gradual rather than linear, with operational constraints and fluctuations in global commodity demand continuing to influence monthly export volumes.
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