Agents blame tug shortage for worsening delays

Vessels delayed for up to 32 hours Terry Hutson AS THE build-up of ships outside Durban harbour intensifies as a result of seasonal trade and the recent two-day Cosatu strike, concerns expressed by port users over the availability of tugs and pilots to clear the backlog are growing. Not that these are anything new. On several occasions recently ships' agents have complained about delays in getting tugs on station or pilots available when they have a ship to sail. The National Ports Authority's response to this has been that sufficient pilots and tugs are always available. Nevertheless agents remain unconvinced and cite examples of ship delays resulting from pilot and tug unavailability totalling anywhere between several hours and more than a day. FTW was shown examples of vessels delayed by between 4 and 32 hours recently because pilots weren't immediately available. They were not waiting for the busy container terminal, but vessels waiting to bunker, with berths reportedly available. In one example a chemical tanker wanting to bunker was delayed outside for 19 hours, and the Scandinavian owner has given subsequent instructions that his vessels must bunker elsewhere in future. The NPA has scaled back the number of marine pilots in Durban to 18 at present, and according to port manager Nosipho Sithole, this number is adequate. Not so, say the agents, who prefer to remain unidentified. They say that 18 may appear to be enough, but the influx of new recruits and the outflow of retiring and resigning senior pilots means that fewer pilots licensed to handle the larger ships are available. On a night shift comprising two pilots this can mean the senior pilot comes under great pressure while the new pilot is forced to stand by idle for much of the shift. The result is delays to vessels costing charter parties and owners dearly.