Shipping to and from South Africa

Your complete guide to shipping to and from South Africa. Find the right route, get Maersk office locations, discover local solutions, payment options and more.

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Import

Get up-to-date local information about import procedures and restrictions, demurrage and detention, container drop-offs and more.

WK 14 2025 Empty Import turn in’s (This is valid until and includes 06/04/2025)

All customers to ensure turn in instructions to be followed, as non-allocated depots will reject turn in's.

WK 14 2025 Empty Import turn in’s (This is valid until and includes 06/04/2025)

XLSX (70KB)

DEPOT OPERATING HOURS

XLSX (11KB)

Important request from Grindrod Bluff Road and Gale Street for those who are collecting seals for direct turn in Durban Terminal turn-in.

Applications forms for registering vehicles chassis and drivers

PDF (94KB)

Copy of Freight Transit Order

XLSX (84KB)

We have further enhanced the Delivery Oder functionality on Maersk website.

Our latest enhancements include:

SARS Release Status can now be viewed online while processing the Delivery Order
No more uploading Cargo Dues receipts. Instead of uploading Cargo Dues proof of payment you can tick the Cargo Dues Indemnity checkbox and thereby acknowledge that all cargo dues have been settled

To avoid any EDI failures with merchant shipments please be sure to update your Transporters/Truckers Details in the “Release Container to” field when requesting the Delivery Order.

A one-page guide to using our Self Service Delivery order and Payer assignment feature can be found by clicking below downloadable PDF file.

One page Guide_Online Delivery Order & Payer Assignment

PDF (303KB)

One page guide - Payer assignment

PDF (187KB)

Commodity

Hazardous classes 1 and 7 are subject to approval before acceptance.
Used Tyres acceptance subject to legitimate ITAC permit
No acceptance on DG charcoal
No acceptance of Asbestos
Textile waste and used clothing and shoes acceptance subject to legitimate ITAC permit

Weight & Measurement- The general road weight limitation is 24 tonnes/20’ and 28 tonnes/40’ including cargo and container tare. Overweight containers are subject to a fine imposed by the Government. Requests for movement of overweight cargo can be obtained from your nearest Maersk office.

45' Containers- No acceptance of 45' containers in South Africa.

Should your container be stopped and detained by Customs (South African Revenue Services, SARS); SAPS (South African Police Force) or the NRCS in South Africa, and you do not have representation for the inspection at the depot, MAERSK can arrange with one of our trusted vendors to be present and represent you at the depot for inspection.

By using this service, the safety and integrity of the cargo is kept intact, where photographs will be taken at each stage from breaking of seal – completion of inspection, creating complete visibly and peace of mind.

If you have any questions about a customs stopped shipment or the Maersk inspection service, please feel free to contact us: (Phone) +27 21 408 6888 or (email) za.stops@maersk.com

Durban port

Port Guidelines (TNPA)

PDF (122KB)

Class 1 / Class 4.1 (Un NO 1944) - all UN numbers require police permits; packing declarations and rail transport except class 1.4 UN 0012 (road haul only).

Direct Delivery to and from a rail truck is allowed except class 1.4 UN 0012 (road haul only). Not allowed to be stacked at the terminal.

The following documents are required to be sent through to us in order for us to apply for acceptance of the commodity with TNPA by eta -7 days.

Police permits
DGD
Trem Cards
Stamped CTO
Transporter details (namely transporter name, contact person, after hours contact number, truck registration, driver’s name and driver’s identification number)

The above required documents must reach us by eta -7 days to prevent additional costs and penalties. If we cannot complete the application with TNPA by the required deadline, these units will not be discharged from the vessel and all costs to retain on board will be for the consignees account.

In addition to the above documents, we will require release to be taken of the shipment 48 hours prior to arrival in order for our port system (NAVIS) to reflect release prior to the vessel berthing. Please note any cargo not released within this 48 hours prior ETA for any commodities that must be discharged in daylight direct to vessel, we will perform carrier haulage to a depot to avoid putting TPT and the vessel at risk. Charges to be recovered from the client. This applies to stopped containers even if the release is received after the 48 hour mark.

New procedure:

Please note, as per Port’s request, we will be updating NAVIS with the Driver details as provided by you - the driver name, cell phone no, vehicle reg and wagon no. The purpose of this is that, just before the container is discharged, TPT will call the driver to ensure that he is in the queue waiting to collect. Please note, if the driver is NOT in the queue, or, if we cannot get hold of the contact person, the container will be retained on board.

This will be our process going forward as well - please ensure that all driver details issued are correct. If they are amended in any way, please ensure you contact Maersk for us to update the system on your behalf.

Point Durban only

All other hazardous classes not listed on the advisory requires the following:

Stamped CTO
DGD

Important to Note:

A Cartage Booking Request (for Direct Delivery to and/or Upliftment from the Vessel and/or Delivery into &/or from Vessel Hazardous Stack) must be forwarded to the Terminal’s Cartage Booking Office prior to RMT(s) reporting to the Terminal.

When the driver reports to the terminal he must have a copy of the above-mentioned documents and all RMT(s) must have Harbour Carrier Permits. In addition they must have an Approved Cartage Booking Request.

Always Safe Never Sorry. While we always do our utmost to take good care of your cargo, things can go wrong. Therefore we are glad to introduce you to our new solution to keep the value of your cargo protected from logistics-related risks. Value Protect provides alternative carriage terms that offer higher recovery limits on claims. At competitive prices and all in a single place.

Value protect

Local charges

The following surcharges are applicable either at the customer’s request or due to penalties incurred on shipments from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia & Zimbabwe

Charge Code	Charge Name	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L	Description & Application
Charge Code DDF	Charge Name Destination Doc Fee	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L R1 100	Description & Application This service covers the creation and processing of all standard transport documents (e.g. Bill of Lading).
Charge Code IMP	Charge Name Import Service	Per 20’ ZAR 1356	Per 40’ ZAR 1860	Per B/L	Description & Application The Import Service covers standard charges at destination that is not part of DHC and the charge will be applicable for all shipments. Below items are included in IMP: Port Dues/Agency Fees/First Seal/Any other local service that is not included in DHC but applicable to all shipments.
Charge Code DHC	Charge Name Destination Handling Fee - Dry	Per 20’ R2 486	Per 40’ R3 671	Per B/L	Description & Application This service covers the cost of handling a container at the origin port or terminal. This service is applicable to all shipments.
Charge Code DHC	Charge Name Destination Handling Fee - Reefer	Per 20’ R3 481	Per 40’ R5 162	Per B/L	Description & Application This service covers the cost of handling a container at the origin port or terminal. This service is applicable to all shipments.
Charge Code DHC	Charge Name Destination Handling Fee - Reefer	Per 20’ R3 826	Per 40’ R5 686	Per B/L	Description & Application This service covers the cost of handling a container at the origin port or terminal .This service is applicable to all shipments.
Charge Code CSD	Charge Name Container Shifting Charge	Per 20’ ZAR 945	Per 40’ ZAR 1310	Per B/L	Description & Application This charge is for additional operational expenses due to extra container moves for reasons like re-stacking because of change of destination or vessel or moving of container from load stack to gate. It does not cover moves for inspections, or to enable ad hoc stuffing/stripping. These are already included under the charges for those respective services
Charge Code PAD	Charge Name Payer Amendment Destination	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L USD 43	Description & Application Charge applicable for change of collect payer after the ETA of the final vessel.
Charge Code TLI	Charge Name Electronic Cargo Release Import (South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland)	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L USD 35	Description & Application Also known as 'Telex' or 'Express' release, this releases the cargo at destination upon proof of identity of the receiver as consignee. This is done once all 3 original BLs have been surrendered by the consignee, or an authorised agent of the consignee, at another carrier's office location (not the discharge port). This service (TLI) is applied upon the customer's request and gets added to the shipment only after the BLs have been surrendered.
Charge Code SWC	Charge Name Switch Bill of Lading Document Fee	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L USD 100	Description & Application If a customer requests for this service, the carrier can 'switch' transport documents such as BLs to show new parties by issuing a second set of documents. A 'switch' protects the interests of the cargo intermediary by preventing the shipper from being visible to the buyer
Charge Code BLI	Charge Name Transport Document Re-Issue Fee Import	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L USD 19	Description & Application If you need a new set of bill of lading (BL), this surcharge covers the administrative cost associated with it. With this, you are issued a BL in a location different from the point of origin. This also includes the reissuance of a BL if needed.
Charge Code INI	Charge Name Inspection Fee Import	Per 20’ ZAR 1272	Per 40’ ZAR 1912	Per B/L	Description & Application The charge applies when the below Service carried out at the Import end. Charge to cover for costs related to inspection of cargo or container. Typical scenarios would be: outside surveyor, customs requirements, X-ray, veterinary inspection, inspections for certain certificates etc. The charge includes additional moves needed to perform the inspection and it covers the cost of the certificate to be issued, if required, when the Inspection is done for certification.
Charge Code AMI	Charge Name Bill of Lading/Delivery Order/Manifest Amendment fee	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L USD 75	Description & Application Amending any details that will affect the amending of the Delivery Order/manifest/bill of lading. For short transit time this will be charged for any amendment once the manifest cut-off over.
Charge Code DCG	Charge Name Destination Certificate charge	Per 20’	Per 40’	Per B/L ZAR 590 / DRY ZAR 990 / Reefer	Description & Application Issuance of certificate charge.