R30 000 earmarked for
economic impact study
THE FOUNDATION for Research and development (FRD) has given Port Elizabeth Technikon's Department of Industrial Engineering a grant of R30 000 to study the economic impact of upgrading the PE airport.
This follows calls by the business community to have the existing runway extended by a kilometre to take direct international flights for aircraft of Boeing 747 size.
The first Jumbo - named Ebhayi - will touch down on August 15, but it will be carrying just 100 passengers on landing and will take off empty. Naming the new Boeing 747-400 the Ebhayi - the traditional name of Port Elizabeth - is the brainchild of South African Airways pilot Paul Ferreira, who lives in the city.
The landing is expected to add to the pressure on the airports company to begin the R38-million extension of the runway. General manager Connie Muller has said that the company is willing to invest the money provided it is confident of a suitable return.
ACSA is in negotiations with local authorities to provide R12-m for the rerouting of a sewage pipeline that lies in the path of the planned extensions.
Over the last ten months the PE Technikon has conducted an informal pre-feasibility study of about 60 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under the guise of the Port Elizabeth Logistics Task Team (PELTT). The study has found that there is significant demand for direct international airfreight services from Port Elizabeth says the head of the department of industrial engineering, Grant Minnie.
Minnie said international research showed that while manufacturing costs were on the decline, logistics and distribution costs were increasing because of circumstances beyond management's control. He said Port Elizabeth businesses would receive a significant competitive advantage from research which led to a streamlined and co-ordinated logistics value-chain.
His research would therefore be geared towards developing a solid case for ensuring that PE Airport was accorded full international landing rights for 747 cargo carriers.
By Ed Rrichardson
