Ports Regulator trims NPA tariff hike to 7.57% for 2026/27 financial year

The Ports Regulator of South Africa has approved a lower-than-requested tariff increase for the National Ports Authority (NPA), granting an average rise of 7.57% for the 2026/27 financial year—below the 9.61% originally proposed by the Authority.

Announcing the Record of Decision (ROD) in Durban on Monday, Ports Regulator CEO Mukondeleli Johanna Mulaudzi said the NPA had submitted its tariff application on 1 August 2025 in line with Section 72 of the National Ports Act.

The Authority had requested an allowable revenue of R16.73 billion for 2026/27, along with indicative increases of 9.61% for the two subsequent financial years.

Following a detailed review of the application, public submissions, consultation presentations, and updated inflation data from the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, the Regulator determined an appropriate Revenue Requirement of R17.42bn for 2026/27. This includes an ETIMC allocation of R800 million and translates into the weighted average tariff increase of 7.57%.

The approved increase will be applied differentially across tariff categories:

• Marine services and related tariffs (excluding cargo dues): 9.60%

• Cargo dues:
  • Containers – 7.80%
  • Break bulk – 8.10%
  • Dry bulk – 8.30%
  • Dry bulk coal & magnetite – 8.50%
  • Liquid bulk – 7.40%
  • Automotive imports – 8.10%
  • Automotive exports – 7.10%
  • All trans-shipped cargo – 8.10%

Mulaudzi added that all marine tariffs for existing commercial South African flagged vessels, as well as commercial vessels registered in South Africa from 2019/20, will continue to benefit from a 30% discount, applicable year on year until reviewed by the Regulator.

She said the approved tariff path ensures the NPA can meet its capital and operational expenditure commitments while generating the return required under the Ports Act.

“The Ports Act states the NPA must be able to generate a return that will be reinvested into the ports system. The decision today translates into a R17.4bn revenue that they will collect in the 2026/2027 FY,” she said.

Mulaudzi added that the Port Regulator plays a crucial role in regulating the port industry.

“The Regulator needs to ensure efficiencies in terms of operations and in terms of management decisions. We have to protect port users in the prices and allow the NPA to charge fair prices.”

Phyllis Difeto, acting CEO of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), said that they are pleased to be receiving the Record of Decision (ROD) for the 2026/27 financial year tariff application.

“We are still going to go into detail and analyse and understand the impact of this ROD to us," Difeto said.

"But what we have observed, we have taken note of some of the issues that were raised by the Ports Regulator, that we should look into an example of the licensing regime that was highlighted that we need to look into and the progress on bringing in the previously disadvantaged groups.”

Difeto added that they are also going to look at the financial side.

“How the Record of Decision is going to contribute to assisting us in making a sustainable  system financially. We will look at how the Record of Decision is going to assist us in implementing the programme that we have set for ourselves, assets and the infrastructure ahead of time," Difeto said.

"The relationship between the Authority and the Ports Regulator of South Africa is very critical, very important, because that is where the key decisions on the ports system are taken. That is where the strategies on the ports system are approved and taken forward.”

BUSINESS REPORT