1972
Transvaal Coal Owners Association awarded contract with Japanese steel mills for 27 Mt of coal over 10 years

1976, 01 April
Port of Richards Bay officially opened. Richards Bay Coal Terminal started exports with Phase 1 at a capacity of 12 million tons per annum (Mt/a)

1979
Phase II Expansion completed - RBCT expanded its exporting capacity from 12 Mt/a to 24 Mt/a

1984
Phase III Expansion completed - RBCT expanded its exporting capacity to 44 Mt/a

1991
Phase III Upgrade export capacity increased to 53 Mt/a

1995
Capacity enhancements exercise increased exporting capacity to 63 Mt/a

1999
Brownfields expansion increased exporting capacity to 72 Mt/a

2000 November
RBCT exported its one billionth ton of coal

2006 September
Phase V Expansion commences to increase terminal capacity to 91 million tons per annum.

2008
As of 1st January 2008, official design capacity of the terminal increased to 76 million tons per annum.

2010
As of 1st May 2010, design capacity of the terminal increased to 91 million tons per annum.