In a tumultuous year for the Eastern Cape, the Transnet National Ports Authority’s head office relocation to Nelson Mandela Bay could be the game-changer to boost the province’s ailing economy and add some much-needed jobs.

This is the hope of the provincial government, politicians, an economist and companies that do business with the ports authority, all of whom are pinning their hopes on the move to grow the stagnant economy and address bottlenecks at the port...