Are you affected by congestion and delays at Durban port?

As the economy of the country is held to ransom by the inefficiency of the Port of Durban, shippers, shipping lines and logistics operators are turning to FTW Online to lobby industry support to find solutions to a problem that is fast eroding their bottom lines. FTW Online is besieged by daily calls and emails from readers who have run out of options to vent their frustration. “Navis is one of the issues,” Freight 24’s Ayub Esoop told FTW Online. “But people issues are the biggest problem – a lack of trained staff, lack of management skills and a lack of problem-solving skills. “Over the past two years there have been issues regarding the night shift between 10pm and 6am in the morning. It’s called the graveyard shift because nothing happens during that shift even though you have vehicles queuing and ships coming in. Add to that the lack of equipment and lack of trained drivers, and you have a lethal mix. The Freight 24 directors invited FTW Online to accompany one of its vehicles into the port to experience the problems at first hand. Durban-based Esoop and his co-directors recently visited Johannesburg and Cape Town to engage with their customers and look at areas of intervention. “We’re asking our clients to get more involved because ultimately every link in the supply chain is being negatively affected. “For us it’s overtime costs, standing time, vehicle detention and huge maintenance costs caused because of protracted delays of queuing to uplift. “For our customers, the slow pace at which the port is releasing containers is impacting on their ability to deliver on time. And TPT is getting off lightly.” Esoop feels that traditional bodies like the SA Association of Freight Forwarders and the Durban Harbour Carriers’ Association are making little impact and believes it’s time for shippers to stand up and be counted. FTW Online welcomes your input. Email joyo@nowmedia.co.za