Dry bulk shippers pin hopes on Ramos resolution

Although the shipping industry has met with local port management, the ship delay problem at the Richards Bay dry bulk terminal still remains, according to Mike van Rooyen, RB-based director of the SA Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa). “We have presented our case to Transnet CEO, Maria Ramos, and hope that she can bring some positive influence to bear on the problem,” he told FTW. This because, although port management is trying to make certain changes in the hopes of curing the issue, Saasoa has rejected these moves. “Management needs to concentrate on certain action points which we have highlighted for them,” said Van Rooyen, “mostly related to the need to replace outdated, breakdown-prone equipment and improve management skills.” Saasoa hopes that Ramos will be able to intervene and get the matter resolved before she ends her tenure at Transnet in February.