South Africa's Indian Ocean Port of Durban expects to quadruple container capacity with the planned expansion of port's facilities, according to a report from Cape Town's Independent Online.

The development, which involves widening the approach channel by 100 metres, aims to retain Durban's pre-eminent status as the major port on the African continent, which posted an annual throughput of 2.3 million TEU last year.

Sea freight accounts for 95 per cent of South Africa's international trade and Durban accounts for 33 per cent of the total and 65 per cent of container throughput.

Harbour expansion proposals call for a massive excavation of a new basin around which container terminals can be built, making this the largest undertaking in the history of the port, a project that will also add considerably to the water area of Durban Bay.

Under various proposals, ships would arrive either down the existing but widened Esplanade and Maydon channels or along a new channel extending the Island View to the south.

Environmental objections to some plans are expected to be fierce while the Island View proposal will involve considerable replacement expense for oil companies.

But having additional terminals in the Bayhead Basin will increase Durban's annual container capacity to over five million TEU from its present 2.3 million TEU.