A SYSTEM error with the new Cosmos system at the Port of Durban container terminal led to severe disruption last week, with lengthy delays to shipping and road and rail activities.
According to Portnet the problem occurred during the conversion from the IBM system. This resulted in an incorrect registration of containers in their correct positions in the stacks.
As a result of the delays a number of container ships were delayed for up to three or four days and at least one vessel, the SA Sederberg was reported to have been diverted to Port Elizabeth instead. In addition no container rail traffic was reported from City Deep. On Friday (June 11) Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) reported five vessels delayed and had arranged for several other ships to go to general cargo berths in an attempt to discharge cargo. Other shipping lines, freight forwarders and container depots issued letters to clients warning of the delays in the port.
Exacerbating the problem at the implementation of the new process was a strike by Portnet employees although it is understood this lasted only a few hours. FTW also understands that hand-held scanners had to be replaced at short notice the week before, due to workers complaining they were unsuitable.
Outgoing managing director Rob Childs said of the situation in Durban that Portnet had run the system on a pilot basis before going live and
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anticipated that a period of adjustment was required. I want to make the point that Portnet's switch to a modern system at its container terminals forms an important part of a far - reaching operational and infrastructure upgrade, with the sole purpose of improving customer service levels.
He said that the introduction of an improved method of managing the logistics of container movement was never expected to go without a hitch and as a result Portnet had advised customers beforehand of anticipated delays.
The Durban Chamber of Commerce & Industry issued a notice saying that the port hiccups were not unusual and said the problem was basically a teething one. In fact, in some ports, when converting to new systems, operations have ceased for up to one week.
According to port operations manager Peter Masemola the situation was slowly returning to normal. We hope that things will be running smoothly within a matter of days.
By Terry Hutson
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