... but equipment is under strain
THERE'S BEEN a steady improvement in the Port of Durban this year, according to Alan Rolfe, operations manager for MSC and chairman of the ASL (Association of Shipping Lines).
Definitely getting better, although there have been a few hitches along the way, he said.
The one with the biggest impact, he told FTW, was the new incentive scheme, and its accompanying driver allocation.
A bit of a go-slow there, said Rolfe, which caused big delays for four or five days. But consultation with the unions eventually sorted that out.
Another area of major, and more long-term, concern is the over-utilisation of equipment, he added - worries about keeping it in order, and the plans for eventual replacement.
This is especially worrying for the gantry cranes, Rolfe said. With the number we have, they're just being used too much and the equipment is beginning to show signs of the strain.
We feel that additional and replacement equipment is required but we're not too sure that the
proper schemes are in place to be able to do what's needed.
Although MSC has been one of the companies involved in the pilot scheme for the new service level agreements, there are no facts and figures available that can be released to FTW at this time, according to Rolfe.
But this certainly seems to be progressing in the right direction, he said, and I think it will be a definite improvement over what we've had
in the past.
Copyright Now Media (Pty) Ltd
No article may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor
To respond to this article send your email to joyo@nowmedia.co.za
