The Durban Car Terminal has handled a record volume in a single month after an unprecedented number of imported cars arrived in the port, following a global vehicle parts shortage.
The terminal billed 77 297 units in January, exceeding its budgeted volumes by 24%. This contributed to the terminal achieving its annual target two months before the end of the financial year.
It has been collaborating with its customers, industry and shipping lines, and embarking on benchmarking exercises to ensure the success of integrated planning and alignment.
“A continued focus on key performance indicators has enabled the terminal to be in a position to handle demand,” said Earle Peters, managing executive Durban Terminals. He added that the monthly record had been achieved without any major safety incidents in the terminal.
South African-based Original Equipment Manufacturers were affected by global parts shortages following the onset of Covid-19. This resulted in the backlog of imports, which have now contributed to increasing monthly volumes.
“The commitment of colleagues handling these vehicles daily has been unwavering and consistent over the past two years, and it’s encouraging for management and Transnet at large,” Peters said.
The terminal’s previous record stood at 72 684 units, handled in September last year.
