Much bigger than Durban International

King Shaka International is supposedly three times bigger than Durban International and will be able to handle 8 million passengers a year when it opens (Durban International currently can only handle 4.7 million passengers annually).  It's being built at a cost of ZAR 7.4 billion and is the first greenfield airport in South Africa.  Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2009 and then several months will be spent in testing before the official opening (supposedly June 2009).

Room for Growth

Future capacity is not a problem either. Durban International is expected to reach its limit by 2015, whereas King Shaka has been designed to expand in stages, up to a projected maximum of 45 million passengers by 2060.

ACSA, with the help of local and international experts, has reportedly already developed a special transfer programme for the relocation of Durban International operations to King Shaka.

Economic growth

The airport is part of the massive Dube Tradeport development under construction on 2 060ha about 35km north of Durban, close to the N2 freeway. This is a cutting-edge complex which includes King Shaka International, a trade zone and an IT platform.

Job Creation

Some 12 000 people have been employed in the building of the airport.  Once complete, it's estimated that it will provide permanent employment for 8 000 staff (Durban International has a staff of only 5 000). 

The new Dube tradeport complex will inject new economic growth into the region and offer up to 270 000 new jobs directly and indirectly.

Advanced facilities

King Shaka’s runway is 3.7km in length, long enough to accommodate the world’s biggest passenger craft, the Airbus A380 and its closest rival, the Boeing B747. Expansion to 4km if necessary is possible. The 400 000m2 of runways alone are the equivalent of 100 football fields.

Ample parking

With parking for 6 500 cars, 4 300 more than Durban International, traffic congestion will be greatly eased.

Boost for KwaZulu-Natal's growth

Durban is Africa’s busiest port and KwaZulu-Natal is the second fastest-growing province in industrial and commercial terms, contributing about 17% to GDP. These new facilities will go a long way to allowing KZN to compete with her richer sister to the north, Gauteng. 

Almost 50 000 tons of manufactured goods have to be trucked up to Johannesburg every year to be exported by air. As a result, many companies have relocated to Gauteng to cut down on transport costs. It is hoped that they will return once the airport and trade zone are complete.

Besides the arrivals and departure terminals, with 16 passenger boarding bridges, and cutting-edge cargo terminal, the Dube Tradeport will also feature hotels, a conference centre, entertainment area and retail space.

An agricultural zone will allow for the cultivation of produce for export, and its proximity to the airport will ensure that time-sensitive crops are shipped out while still as fresh as possible. Potential tenants include local farmers, cooperatives and international horticultural companies.

Source: MediaClubSouthAfrica.com