Invest Durban recently participated in The KwaZuluNatal Strategic Business Engagement and Exhibition for the Small Harbours and State Coastal Property, hosted by the National Department of Public Works. The event was held at the Old Durban Airport, at the Enchanted Gardens at the end of August 2017.  The Economic Development and Investment Promotion Unit’s, Sector Development Programmes Department facilitates the stimulation and growth of priority sectors, by providing city wide support to the targeted economic sectors in line with the National Industrial Development Policy Framework, eThekwini’s Integrated Development Plan 2 as well as the eThekwini Economic Development Strategy. 

The municipality supports a number of industrial sectors in Durban and one of them is the maritime sector through the funding and support of the Ethekwini Maritime Cluster. It is underpinned by Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy, which aims to unlock the economic potential of South Africa’s ocean economy and fast track the achievement of the National Development Plan 2030 goals. In line with Operation Phakisa, the aim of the Strategic Business Engagement and Exhibition was to attract investment in state coastal maritime infrastructure and properties, to grow businesses, create jobs, stimulate economic growth and redistribute wealth. The aspiration will be achieved by: 

Ensuring territorial integrity through the management of small harbours and coastal properties
• Access to state coastline, maritime infrastructure, small harbours and bays
• Ensure inclusive economic growth and development through the empowerment of local communities
• Empowering coastal communities in skills development,education and enterprise development
• Energise the growth of coastal infrastructure
• Unlocking the economic potential of South Africa’s   oceans
• Delivering on the aspiration of   the National Development Plan   2030
• Fundamental change in how government accelerates delivery. In KwaZulu-Natal, work has been done in the following district municipalities; uMkhanyakude, King Cetshwayo, iLembe and Ugu. Ethekwini was the only metro municipality participating in the event. The Department of Public Works has identified a range of different economic activities that could take place at these properties besides building a waterfront. The following areas have been identified as potential investment areas for local and economic development:
• Education and training (maritime and aquaculture training centres)
• Renewable energy (wind farm, solar farm, turbine)
• Farming (aquaculture on land, mariculture off land and salt production)
• Fish processing and packaging, food and beverage (restaurants,   breweries and distillery)
• Government services (DAFF, Department of Environmental Affairs, SA Social Security Agency, SA Police Service)
• Hospitality industry (hotels, holiday resorts, caravan parks, restaurants)
• Infrastructure development (harbours, mooring facilities, jetties, slipways, special economic zones, waterfront,office parks, retail parks, industrial park) • Logistics (fuel storage, warehousing)
• Maintenance and repair of harbours and infrastructure 
 (vessel maintenance and repair, yacht mole facilities, harbour infrastructure, spares and supplies)
• Manufacturing and engineering services (small ship boat  building, alluvial mining)
• Pipelines and pump houses, rescue safety and security  (NSRI, life-saving, safety and security)
• Sport and recreation (yacht clubs, fishing clubs, water theme parks, speciality events- sports, food, cultural etc)
• Tourism (museum, tourism office)
• Transport, commercial and leisure (water taxis and ferries, helicopter pads)
• Water and waste management   (ice making and supplies, desalination and waste management processing). With regard to fishing-related business investments and projects, pro-rata shares have to be given to local fishermen based on their total value of fishing rights per annum. Furthermore, all business proposals must ensure utilisation of local suppliers and local labour, and also indicate skills development initiatives. The development of a new harbour in Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal has been identified as a national priority. This event was one of four hosted in all coastal provinces of South Africa