The Citrus Growers’ Association has made a strong case for the introduction of a container barge operation between key nodes of the Durban port.
“This could very well revive the port precincts’ value proposition for customers, giving the port a much-needed economic boost,” says Mitchell Brooke, logistics development manager at the CGA.
There are several advantages, he points out in a presentation shared with Freight News. It will take trucks off the road network while port container handling facilities will be connected directly by the barge network at all key areas of the port – Point MPT, Pier1, Pier 2, Bayhead, MW MPT, MW13 and FPT.
Reefer depots at Point MPT, MW13 AND Bayhead, he adds, can feed full and empty containers to MFT, FPT and Bayhead.
It will see the development and expansion of container depots and container freight stations along the barge network areas in the port and no truck should be required to handle a container on the barge network unless absolutely necessary.
It’s a concept, says Brooke, that will create a more expansive, productive, efficient and cost-effective port container handling network.
