A number of developments to make the East London port more competitive and to increase revenue were in the pipeline, the head of port operations Thami Ntshingila told a delegation of port, government officials and businesspeople from Florida.

He said discussions with national port officials and government representatives were at an advanced stage for an R850 million outer harbour development that would increase the container facility tenfold and address the river port's shallow draught problem.

Ntshingila said there were other medium-term options which could take place inside the harbour but with the advent of the IDZ the option of extending the harbour west from the breakwater seemed to be the best.

Once given the green light the project could be completed within four years, he said.

Local port officials held a meeting with Spoornet officials in Johannesburg to discuss rail tariffs and improvements on the rail link between the city and Gauteng.

The group expected to be able to offer people shipping goods to or from East London the same or better rates to get their goods to the Reef than those from Durban.

The success of the port as an automotive port, for complete vehicles and containerised components was also discussed with the 30-strong Florida delegation.

Harbour officials would be speaking to Gauteng manufacturers - including Ford, Nissan and BMW - to consider using the port as both an import and export point.

While the Florida port officials visited the IDZ and the harbour the business delegates had meetings with local groups which also seemed fruitful.

BKCOB chief executive Les Holbrook met Florida Trade executive Brian Slater, who suggested that a smaller, more focused business delegation come to East London to investigate further opportunities.

"He was looking at people from sectors specific to the industries we already have here such as the pharmaceutical industry, textiles and clothing and automotive," he said.

On the tourism front, the Eastern Cape Tourism Board is to organise an educational trip for one of the delegates, Fran Winfrey of Business Travel Advisors, ahead of the tourism Indaba in Durban in May - to show just what this region has to offer visitors.