By Eamonn Ryan
The Western Cape’s cold chain and export infrastructure received a major boost with the official opening of Maersk’s Belcon Cold Store in Cape Town on 28 October 2025, inaugurated by Western Cape mobility minister Isaac Sileku.
The state-of-the-art facility is set to strengthen the province’s position in global trade by enhancing the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of perishable goods exports.
A strategic hub for exports
Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Sileku emphasised the importance of Belcon for the region’s trade and logistics network. “This is not just a terminal. It is a symbol of the movement of goods, of opportunity, and of an economy moving forward. Belcon connects our farms, our factories, and our freight owners to global customers and opportunities,” he said.
Located near the Port of Cape Town, Belcon provides advanced cold storage for perishable products such as grapes, citrus and pharmaceuticals, ensuring product integrity and reliable export performance. In 2023, the Western Cape moved 148-million tonnes of freight, including 16.6-million tonnes of agricultural goods. Agricultural and agri-processing exports alone were valued at over R104-billion, nearly half of the province’s total exports.
Reviving rail and intermodal efficiency
Belcon is central to the Western Cape’s Overberg Rail Business Case Pilot, a flagship initiative reconnecting Caledon’s agricultural heartland to the port. Minister Sileku highlighted the importance of intermodal logistics, stating: “This pilot is about bringing trains back to life, unlocking dormant infrastructure and proving that rail can once again serve our economy efficiently.”
The terminal has already doubled its freight volume to the Port of Cape Town, reducing truck congestion, improving turnaround times, and maintaining the flow of goods even during operational delays caused by strong Cape winds.
Driving jobs and economic growth
Minister Sileku underscored the broader economic impact of Belcon: “Every container that moves through Belcon represents more than trade. It represents jobs in agriculture, logistics and manufacturing, and families who can put food on the table because their province has a working economy.”
The Western Cape Government aims to triple exports to R500-billion by 2035, a goal supported by Belcon’s capacity to integrate road, rail and port systems efficiently. By connecting inland terminals across the province, thousands of long-haul truck loads can shift to rail, saving billions in transport costs and reducing environmental impact.
A vision for a sustainable cold chain
Belcon Cold Store represents a major step toward a Western Cape where high-quality products reach global markets reliably, infrastructure drives economic opportunity, and trade serves as a catalyst for prosperity. As Minister Sileku concluded, “Belcon reminds us that the Western Cape’s strength lies not only in what we produce, but in how we move it. Let’s keep moving together with confidence, collaboration, and belief in our shared future.”