Abstract
D.Com. (Transport Economics)
Port charges in most of the ports in the world have evolved in a haphazard manner over
many years. In recent years, competition between ports and the drive towards
commercialisation and privatisation have necessitated the restructuring of the charges in
many ports according to sound economic principles. The contention in this thesis is that
the charges in South African ports can be restructured in accordance with such principles,
provided the monopoly profits at present earned on wharfage are eventually foregone, but
that revenue neutrality can be maintained during the phasing-in period. The existing tariffs
for all South African ports are then restructured in accordance with the principles involved
and examples of the port expenses of ship and cargo owners before and after the
restructuring are given. While these examples prove the hypothesis, it is pointed out that
conclusions cannot be simplistically derived from such comparisons, because the efficiency
in the use of port land and the handling of cargo will increase as an outcome of the
incentives to such efficiency, which the new charges will create.