... and adds a customs licence
NOW INTO its third year of operation, City Deep-based Bridgeport has completed an extensive programme of expansion to provide shippers with a one-stop facility.
Marketing itself as the largest privately-owned inland port with a customs licence in sub-Saharan Africa, Bridgeport is the operating division of Jupiter Container Properties and was previously known as Bridge Factory.
"When we opened in June 1999, we had 8 000 square metres of warehousing space and two reach stackers," says general manager Allan du Plessis.
"We now have 14000m2 of first grade warehousing space, an empty container park with capacity to store 4000 TEUs and full container storage capacity for 1500 TEUs."
The facility is able to process 40 road trucks, 150 rail trucks and 80 TEUs a day, according to Du Plessis. The company works a 7 day week, and 17 hours a day from 06:00 to 23:00.
It is serviced by a fleet of 12 smaller forklifts ranging between 2.5 to 5 ton units, 12 ton and 16 ton machines for the empty container park and 42 ton and 50 ton reach stackers for the full containers.
The idea of a one-stop facility has taken shape for Bridgeport with its common user empty park, warehousing, rail, and import and export of breakbulk and containerised cargo all under one roof. "All are driven by a highly qualified team on a fully computerised system," says Du Plessis.
North and southbound overborder breakbulk and containerised cargo are the main focus of business with a wide range of import and export commodities handled.
