According to Reuters, the Richards Bay Coal Terminal, the world's largest coal export facility, handles output from established major mining companies.

It reports would-be exporters complain it is difficult to acquire capacity from its owners – Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Exxaro and Glencore.

"Transnet is busy investigating an open-access coal terminal for the unlocking of emerging or junior miners in the coal industry," Transnet Richards Bay port expansion projects program director Sudesh Maharaj told the news wire.

"This is mainly due to the situation that we have had up to now where smaller miners can't mine until there is export capacity."

He said state-owned Transnet planned to build a terminal capable of exporting 14 million tonnes per annum which could be expanded to 32 million tonnes.

The facility could begin exporting by mid-2020 if approved by the Transnet board and would be able to stockpile four to eight grades of coal.

Maharaj said the coal terminal would be developed alongside an expansion of the port's general freight terminals, which are operating at near full capacity of 24Mtpa.

Besides its main commodity coal, Richards Bay also handles liquids and dry bulk as well as minerals including chrome, ferrochrome, magnetite and ferromanganese and other break-bulk commodities.