The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis

Background: The Port of Durban in South Africa has faced significant road congestion for many years. To address this, the fresh-produce industry proposed a cross-harbour container-handling barge system. The citrus industry requested this study to evaluate the potential carbon footprint impact of such a system on citrus exports transported in reefer containers around the port. Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether a barge system could reduce the carbon footprint of citrus exports and alleviate road congestion to improve the export supply chain’s efficiency. Method: Using an exploratory case study with primary and secondary data, the research applied a deductive approach to theory development. Carbon emissions were calculated for three scenarios: the current system, the proposed barge system and a combined system. Results: The carbon emissions for the three scenarios are as follows: current system: 25.20 kg CO2e per reefer; proposed system: 17.43 kg CO2e per reefer; and combined system: 20.61 kg CO2e per reefer. However, the proposed system does not have sufficient capacity to handle all the reefer containers in a given citrus season. Conclusion: The combined system is the logical choice. The combined system shows a CO2e emissions saving of approximately 18% per reefer compared to the current system. Contribution: This study explores the carbon reduction and congestion alleviation benefits of a cross-harbour barge system at the Port of Durban. Unlike existing literature on inland waterway barge systems, it provides a port-specific analysis and is among the first to quantify CO2e emissions for citrus exports using a barge system.