DCT pilots new truck management system

A new system designed to improve the management of trucks into the Durban container terminal (DCT) and to reduce the truck staging time has received qualified support from the industry. This after the disastrous reception by the Port of Durban container truckers to Transnet Port Terminals’ previous container appointment system. It is “certainly more streamlined” and the “flow into the terminal has been much better”, according to Sue Moodley, chairman of the Durban Harbour Carriers’ Association (DHCA). But, she added, that is “up to now”, while warning that it had only been operating for a week and with only a few users at this early stage. “Only 19% of the container road hauliers have been using the system and we will have to wait and see how it operates when more come on stream.” TPT introduced the appointment system that was rolled out/ piloted in 2012 because DCT Pier 2 becomes congested by trucks coming to the terminal to either drop off export boxes or pick up import containers, according to Brenda Magqwaka, TPT’s GM operations for the KZN container terminals. “This,” she added, “impacts various stakeholders, including: Pier 1, neighbouring companies, terminal users, Bluff community, Pier 2 employees and shipping lines.” But, she admitted: “The (original) system was widely used but did not cater for all business needs.” Now, after continuous discussions with DHCA, alterations have been made to the appointment system – and this will be an ongoing process. To pilot phase 2 of the container appointment system with the users who had access from August 12, the intention was to process a minimum of 3 000 transactions over a period of 24 hours; to regulate traffic f low in the terminal (to avoid peaks and valleys); to optimally utilise terminal resources; and to improve the service offering to the industry, according to information released to FTW at a TPT media briefing last week. INSERT & CAPTION It is certainly more streamlined and the flow into the terminal has been much better. – Sue Moodley