Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal Begins 16-Day Maintenance Shutdown

South Africa’s Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal has begun its annual maintenance shutdown as the country moves to strengthen the reliability and environmental performance of its most important iron ore export facility.

The 16-day shutdown runs from October 6 to 21, 2026, allowing Transnet to carry out major maintenance and infrastructure work that cannot be completed during the terminal’s normal weekly maintenance windows.

The programme forms part of Transnet’s Reinvent for Growth strategy and includes infrastructure upgrades, dust-management improvements and refurbishment of mechanical and electrical components across the terminal’s cargo-handling equipment.

One of the key upgrades is the installation of a new misting system on the ship loaders. The system is designed to further reduce dust emissions during vessel-loading operations and support compliance with environmental standards.

Saldanha is Africa’s largest iron ore export facility and South Africa’s only dedicated iron ore export terminal, handling more than 50 million tonnes of cargo annually. Its reliability is therefore closely linked to the country’s ability to maintain efficient mineral exports to international markets.

The current maintenance programme includes conveyor component replacements, civil works, repairs to two rail tipplers, as well as maintenance on ship loaders and the stacker-reclaimer bucket wheel structure.

Terminal Manager Warren Kramer said the shutdown provides an opportunity to complete critical interventions that cannot be accommodated within the terminal’s regular 12-hour weekly maintenance windows.

Work is also progressing on the terminal’s new third tippler, with testing and optimisation nearing completion. Once fully commissioned, the additional infrastructure is expected to strengthen the terminal’s cargo-handling capacity and operational resilience.

The new tippler forms part of the R4 billion Saldanha Infrastructure Project, which introduced modern cargo-handling equipment and technologies aimed at improving the sustainability of terminal operations.

The infrastructure project included advanced wet and dry dust-extraction systems and enhanced emissions-suppression technology at the rail tipplers, reflecting growing pressure on mining logistics infrastructure to combine higher reliability with stronger environmental performance.

The Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal began operations in September 1976 and has since exported more than 1.4 billion tonnes of iron ore. Over five decades, the facility has become a critical link between South African mines and international markets.

Further capital projects focused on reducing emissions are planned over the next two financial years, signalling continued investment in the terminal as South Africa seeks to maintain the competitiveness of its mineral exports.

For the mining sector, the maintenance programme highlights the importance of reliable rail, port and cargo-handling infrastructure in supporting Africa’s position in global commodity markets.