KwaZulu-Natal – NCIC South Africa

The National Cleantech Innovation Challenge KWAZULU-NATAL

Clean Port Logistics Challenge

Accelerating Sustainable Logistics, Distributed Clean Energy, and Circular Manufacturing for a Resilient Maritime Economy

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

KwaZulu-Natal’s strategic coastal economy serves as a critical gateway for South Africa’s import and export trade through the Durban and Richards Bay ports—two of Africa’s busiest logistics corridors. However, this industrial strength also brings significant environmental and energy challenges. The province’s logistics systems remain heavily carbon-intensive, its industrial hubs rely on an unstable power grid, and waste streams from ports, manufacturing, and agro-processing continue to strain municipal infrastructure and ecosystems.

The Clean Port Logistics Challenge seeks to catalyse scalable, inclusive cleantech innovations that reduce emissions, enhance port efficiency, and strengthen energy resilience. By mobilising innovators, SMEs, and industrial partners, the Challenge will accelerate the transition to low-emission freight, distributed renewable energy, waste-to-resource technologies, and circular manufacturing systems.

In collaboration with Transnet, Toyota SA, MSC, Sappi, Mondi, and eThekwini Municipality, this initiative will position KwaZulu-Natal as South Africa’s hub for green industrialisation, sustainable ports, and innovation-driven job creation. The Challenge directly supports South Africa’s Just Transition Strategy and 2030 Climate Change Plan, ensuring that women, youth, and township innovators are at the forefront of the province’s clean logistics transformation.

WHO CAN APPLY

Eligible participants include entrepreneurs, start-ups, research teams, and small businesses operating at prototype or early commercialisation stages. Eligible innovations that are ready for pilot testing within port or industrial environments.

International applicants may participate in partnership with local registered entities, provided that localization, skills transfer, and job creation are central to the project proposal.

CHALLENGE PROBLEM STATEMENT

KwaZulu-Natal’s economy depends heavily on freight logistics, port operations, and industrial processing—sectors that significantly contribute to emissions, congestion, and energy insecurity. The province’s Durban South Basin and Richards Bay Industrial Zone are vital for trade and employment, yet they face mounting sustainability challenges:

Carbon-Intensive Transport: Freight and port logistics rely predominantly on diesel fleets, causing severe air pollution and traffic congestion.
Unreliable Power Supply: Frequent load-shedding disrupts manufacturing, shipping, and storage operations, driving up costs and reducing global competitiveness.
Organic Waste Accumulation: Agricultural, food, and forestry waste is often landfilled instead of being converted into bioenergy or animal feed, resulting in methane emissions and wasted resources.
Water Scarcity in Industry: Agro-processing and manufacturing consume excessive freshwater, threatening local catchments and community water security.
Linear Production Models: Most industries follow take–make–dispose systems, neglecting opportunities for industrial symbiosis and circular reuse.

This challenge seeks innovative solutions that integrate low-emission logistics, distributed energy and storage, waste-to-resource technologies, water-efficient processing, and circular manufacturing models. These solutions must be practical, modular, and scalable, ensuring adoption by both SMEs and large industries.

What We Are Looking For

Innovative, scalable technologies and business models that can rapidly decarbonise port and logistics operations in KwaZulu-Natal. Solutions should demonstrate measurable impact in energy savings, waste reduction, and emissions abatement. Eligible proposals include clean mobility and freight technologies, renewable microgrids, industrial symbiosis systems, waste-to-resource innovations, and digital efficiency platforms that improve transparency and sustainability in logistics operations. We are particularly interested in projects that empower SMEs, women, and youth innovators, and that include partnerships with local municipalities, ports, and manufacturers.

What We Are Not Looking For

Copy-paste solutions from other regions without adaptation to the KZN port ecosystem.
Aggregations of existing technologies without integration or innovation.
Diesel or fossil-based solutions disguised as short-term “green” interventions.
Projects requiring lengthy pilot phases (>3 years) or unproven R&D concepts.
Initiatives that exclude local communities or lack pathways for skills transfer and job creation.

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FAQ

ABOUT Start-Up Culture (SUC)

Start-Up Culture (SUC) is a national entrepreneurship hub with a strong presence across South Africa, leading regional innovation ecosystems in clean technology, digital innovation, and enterprise development. As a TIA-funded hub, SUC combines incubation, acceleration, and capital support for innovators tackling the country’s most pressing environmental and industrial challenges.

In KwaZulu-Natal, SUC works within a hub-and-spoke model that links township entrepreneurs, SMEs, universities, and industry players. Through partnerships with PEETS (University of Johannesburg), Innovate Durban, BuzzHub, and DUT, SUC offers prototyping labs, mentorship, and investor readiness programmes.
The Clean Port Logistics Challenge builds on SUC’s proven expertise in clean mobility, circular economy solutions, and inclusive entrepreneurship. It aims to demonstrate that decarbonisation can also be a driver of competitiveness, social equity, and local job creation.

By fostering collaboration between academia, private sector, and government, SUC seeks to establish KwaZulu-Natal as South Africa’s flagship province for sustainable, climate-resilient port operations and green industrial transformation.