DCT capacity squeeze raises red flags

The shipping industry has
raised serious concerns about
an imminent capacity squeeze
at the Durban container
terminal (DCT) Pier 2 as
the seven new ship-to-shore
cranes are installed and berth
capacity restricted for six
years.
This follows a meeting
just held between the SA
Ship Operators and Agents
Association (Saasoa) and
Transnet Port Terminals
(TPT), with a member of the
SA Shippers’ Council (SASC)
also in attendance.
And the news conveyed
by the terminal operator
did little to subdue the fears
surrounding the on-going
loss of a berth, and the
400 000 TEU loss of capacity
that DCT Pier 2 will suffer
for the six-year period,
according to Mervin Webb,
purchasing manager for the
Hulamin aluminium plant
in Pietermaritzburg, a major
user of the Port of Durban
facilities, and the SASC
representative at the meeting.
The latest news from TPT was that a Geotech survey of
Pier 2 had been completed
for installation of the seven
new STS cranes ordered. “But
the cranes are heavier than
anything before,” said Webb,
“and the study has revealed
that this will lead to instability
in the pier foundations,
requiring repairs that cannot
be delayed.”
So, an emergency project
will kick off in February next
year until December, 2017.
This is to stabilise Pier 2 while
the quay wall undergoes the
installation of the crane rails,
and scour protection and berth
deepening is also conducted.
TPT admitted that it was
anticipated that this would
lead to a 20% increase in
berthing delays while vessel
congestion at the outer
anchorage was expected to
increase and high stack and
berth occupancy would be
expected.
The plan is to divert
containerised vessels to the
Point’s ro-ro terminal and
Maydon Wharf, starting
2012/2013 – which should take
up about 60% of lost capacity.
The other 40% will have to be
moved to Ngqura (NGQ) and
Port Elizabeth.
But both have problems for
the shipping lines. Only two
long-haul lines currently call
at NGQ – MOL and MSC –
and additional calls at either of
these ports would be costly in
both money and time. Hauling
containers from these ports
to Gauteng would also mean
a landside transportation leg
of twice the distance from
Durban to the Reef. So it’s
problematic for both lines and
shippers, according to Webb.