The Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) completed three vessels in a single shift over the weekend, reducing vessels at anchor from four to one, despite three hours of lost time due to fog.
CTCT said in a statement that management’s plans to place the terminal on the road to recovery had led to the recent improvement in productivity.
“The terminal also continues to facilitate plans and work with its stakeholders, including shipping lines and fruit exporters, to ensure that the full consignment of planned containers arrive at the terminal while the vessel is still loading,” CTCT said.
Transnet Port Terminal’s Western Cape acting managing executive Oscar Borchards said it was important for the port to maximise refrigerated container intake as the industry faces shortages.
Container vessel Santa Rita is expected to sail with a planned total of 1,750 refrigerated containers in the next two days.
However, the confirmed number of refrigerated containers that have reached the terminal is 1,730.
“Customers are battling a global shortage of empty refrigerated containers that has long been a problem in peak seasons, placing pressure on both the terminal's and the supply chain's capacity."CTCT said.
Borchards added that recovery initiatives are progressing well, including scheduled overtime work and increased management visibility on the quayside.
He said volumes have increased weekly, providing assurance that the improvements are starting to yield results.
