Growing volumes at
the Port of Cape Town
is probably the biggest
priority for port manager,
Sipho Nzuza.
“At the same time it is
also our biggest challenge,”
he said. “We are just not
getting enough volumes
and yes, the economy is
one of the reasons not just
locally but also in Europe
and Asia. It is impacting
everyone.”
But, said Nzuza, who
took over the reins at the
port in August this year,
they are pulling out all
the stops to attract more
volume to the port.
“We are currently seeing
a throughput between
700 000 and 750 000 TEUs
per annum. Our aim is to
increase that to at least
850 000 TEUs within the
next few months.”
He said putting a
strategy in place that would
ultimately result in higher
volumes was a priority for
him and his executive team.
“As a port team we
believe that engagement
with our customers and
our stakeholders is very
important. Communication
really is key, but at the
same time it is also about
getting the right message to
those people,” he said. “At
a major ports conference
held in Cape Town recently,
we made use of the
opportunity to showcase
the port to the various
international visitors,” he
said. “And it was not just
show talk. What is just
as important is the actual
practical discharging of
what we are saying. If you
say you are efficient, then
you must let the customer
see that.”
He said it was imperative
to use opportunities to
market the port in order to
increase customers.
“We have to think
beyond the Western Cape
to our role in the South
African market and what
can we offer international
customers,” said Nzuza.
“At the same time I believe
it is only possible to be a
globally competitive port
if we have the right people
in the right positions with
the right tools at their
fingertips.”
Nzuza said now, more
than ever, innovative
thinking was required to
find ways of increasing
volume throughput at the
port.
According to Nzuza the
ultimate goal is to cross the
million-TEU mark. “We
are increasing the port’s
capacity at present so that
it will be able to handle a
million TEUs – and plans
are already in the pipeline
to up that figure to 1.4
million TEUs. That is what
we should be aiming at – to
see the volume increase to
that of our capacity.”
INSERT
‘Innovative thinking
required to find ways
of increasing volume
throughput at the port.’
CAPTION
Sipho Nzuza … ‘The ultimate goal
is to cross the million-TEU mark.’
