Cape Town's floating drydock is finally on the horizon

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has officially issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a floating drydock at the Port of Cape Town – a major step forward for the regional economy and South Africa's ambition of upscaling maritime business.  

The facility would service both the commercial and non-commercial sectors, which aligns with plans to both attract more passing ships and realise the region's ambitions of becoming a superyacht service and repair hub. 

The facility could go a long way towards remedying years of frustration at maintenance delays and bottlenecks at the Port's existing ship repair facilities, where recent maintenance upgrades are starting to bear fruit.  

"Demand for ship repair services continues to grow, driven by increased regional trade and increasing vessel traffic along the Cape Sea route," Transnet National Ports Authority says in its latest press release. "The additional capacity provided by the floating drydock will enable the port to respond to growing market demand and strengthen its competitiveness as a preferred ship repair destination."  

The new floating drydock is anticipated to incorporate energy-efficient technologies, climate-resilient design principles, and modern safety systems to support efficient operations. 

"These enhancements will advance the Port of Cape Town's long-term resilience and provide modern infrastructure capable of meeting the evolving needs of the maritime industry." 

The Request for Proposals (RFP), issued last week, calls for a suitable facility operator "to design, finance, construct, operate, maintain and decommission a floating drydock under a 25-year concession."  The project forms part of TNPA’s Ship Repair and Marine Manufacturing Strategy.  

A non-compulsory briefing session for prospective bidders will be held on 3 September 2026, with proposals closing on 14 December 2026. The RFP documents are available on the National Treasury’s eTender Portal and on the Transnet website.  

TNPA spokesperson Lorraine Mabindisa says the facility will accommodate both non-commercial and recreational vessels. However, it was still too soon to confirm maximum size of vessels, which would be determined during the bid process.