Saldanha

Saldanha is a city on the west coast of South Africa in the Western Cape province, situated about 110 km north of Cape Town. The city lies on the shores of Saldanha Bay, one of the largest natural harbours in the world and a strategically important deep-water port. Saldanha serves as a major industrial and logistics hub, with its economy centred on iron-ore exports, fishing, aquaculture and steel production. The port handles substantial volumes of iron ore shipped from the Northern Cape via a dedicated rail link, making it a critical node in South Africa's mining export infrastructure. The city is also home to industrial facilities including steel plants and oil storage terminals. Saldanha's population is modest, but the town plays an outsized role in the national economy owing to its port capacity and industrial base. The bay itself supports a thriving fishing industry and is an important site for marine biodiversity. In recent decades the government has promoted Saldanha as an industrial development zone to attract investment in manufacturing, logistics and energy projects. The city's strategic location and deep-water access continue to underpin its significance in South Africa's trade and industrial landscape.