Jeffrey Fonk, Dutch maritime contractors and the impact of port development in South Africa and Namibia (1924 – 1985)

In the 20th century, both passenger and cargo traffic increased as steamships were developed which were larger than standard vessels and could sail faster from West to East. Consequently, new port extensions, plans, and improvements were installed in Table Bay harbour in order to accommodate these new developments. In addition to these business advancements, the port situated in Cape Town, emerged as a crucial component of British defence plans. This occurred at the start of World War II, when the Cape route was once again becoming valuable as the Mediterranean, and so the route via the Suez Canal was about to close. The new harbour of Table Bay was developed by a Dutch contractor within British territory.

Objectives of the study
*    Explore the objectives of the British to develop harbours in Southern Africa during the 20th century
*    Assess the political motivations and drivers behind the design and funding of the port.
*    Examine the reasons why a Dutch contractor, within British territory, became the main contractor of the new harbour.

Research approach and analysis
Primary sources for the study come from the archives of Royal Van Oord, the Dutch company that built the harbours in Southern Africa, the National Archives in London, the National Archives in The Hague, and the National Archives in Cape Town. These archives include project descriptions with tender documents, the port's designs, and the political justifications detailed in letters.