Durban gets fresh injection of straddles

Alan Peat THE LONG awaited fleet of replacement straddle carriers for the Port of Durban have now started to flow through, according to SA Port Operations (Sapo) container manager, Zeph Ndlovu. The first five of these machines - desperately needed to jack up the port's ageing and ailing stock of quayside cargo handling equipment, which played a role in the recent bouts of port congestion - were delivered and commissioned during December and January. "We have just received a fresh injection of these machines during April," Ndlovu told FTW. "These are currently being assembled, and will be commissioned as soon as this is completed." He expects the full batch of 60 to have been delivered and put into service before the year-end. "This first order is only for our replacement needs," Ndlovu said. "The additional machines needed for Durban's new terminal on Pier 1, and for the other ports, are still under discussion."