Ed Richardson SHIPPING COMPANIES will back all efforts to increase the container-handling capacity of South Africa through projects like the Coega port, says Association of Shipping Lines (ASL) representative Dave Rennie. Writing to the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) after a meeting of the South African Chamber of Business Transport committee, Rennie said "from my point of view, it is abundantly clear that increasing container capacity is an imperative and will receive the industry's full support." Delegates at the meeting were briefed on an independent study which has found that South Africa is running out of container handling capacity, and that a deep-water container terminal at Coega will be financially viable. The ASL, which represents 90% of shipping lines calling at South African ports, is looking at ways of reducing transport costs to and from the country. "We need to ensure that we continue in our joint endeavours to reduce the overall supply chain costs thereby enhancing the competitiveness of our exporters in an increasingly globalised market."
