South Africa’s national port infrastructure and marine services agency, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), has given the assurance that the preliminaries for the project to establish a new base for the South African Navy (SA Navy) at Richards Bay are progressing well. In return for the new base, the SA Navy will transfer its current Naval Station Durban, located on Sailsbury Island in Durban harbour, to TNPA. The relocation project will involve an investment of more than R9-billion. It was officially announced on Tuesday in an address by Chief of the SA Navy Vice Admiral Monde Lobese. TNPA will use the naval station site (which long ago ceased to be an island) to expand the facilities of Durban port, which is the country’s largest and busiest port.