Delta Built Environment Consultants (Delta BEC) was appointed by Dube TradePort to provide professional engineering services for a state-of-the-art cargo handling facility at King Shaka International Airport. The project encompassed a high-capacity cargo terminal, the adjacent TradeHouse 1 building, and a purpose-built automated conveyor bridge, forming the heart of Dube TradePort’s air freight logistics precinct.

Delta BEC delivered full engineering design, infrastructure planning, environmental compliance, logistics integration, and project and construction supervision. The team ensured seamless coordination across civil, structural, mechanical, and operational systems to meet the strict requirements of international cargo operations.

The cargo terminal comprises 13 000 m² of warehousing and 2 000 m² of office space, with an annual handling capacity of up to 100 000 tonnes. It features an automated cargo management system, including multilevel ULD storage, elevated transfer vehicles (ETVs), barcode-based inventory control, and 100% inbound x-ray scanning. A third of the warehouse is climate-controlled for perishables. The facility is SARS and CAA certified and fully compliant with Part 108 regulations.

TradeHouse 1, located adjacent to the terminal, offers 9 300 m² of warehouse space and 4 930 m² of office space for up to 24 freight forwarding and consolidation tenants. Delta BEC was responsible for structural and services design, tenant layout coordination, and loading dock optimisation. Supporting infrastructure includes biometric access control, internal roads, landscaping, and parking.

A key feature is the enclosed, automated conveyor bridge designed by Delta BEC. Spanning 25 m between pylons, it includes a 2.54 m-wide roller deck system with mechanised turntables to handle cargo units up to 20 tonnes, enabling efficient landside-to-airside transfer.

From concept to completion, Delta BEC’s end-to-end involvement ensured the successful delivery of a world-class facility, built for efficiency, compliance, and long-term logistics growth.