‘Durban needs to sort out congestion problems now’

South Africa remains the hub
for Africa, especially in terms
of containers, as the larger
vessels still utilise the country’s
ports more frequently than any
others – but service levels are
worrying.
According to Dennis Trotter,
regional director for SACD
Freight in Gauteng, the African
future is very promising as the
demand for minerals in the Far
East continues to grow, but
service at the Port of Durban
should be addressed if the
country wants to benefit from
the boom.
“In Gauteng we are very
involved in the consolidation of
minerals coming from the DRC
and Zambia. We consolidate,
containerise and move containers
to the port by road or rail, always
giving preference to rail. We have
33 000 sqm of warehouse on our
13-hectare site and can handle
block trains through our siding
which we recently expanded to
cope with future rail growth in
both imports and exports,” he said.
The expected growth on the
African continent also led the
company recently to take delivery
of a new reach stacker, while an
empty container handler and two
terminal tractors are on back order.
“South Africa as a hub for
Africa is very important to our
export customers as the large
volume of vessels calling at the
Port of Durban offers sailing
opportunities to most global
destinations as well as more
frequent sailings than can be
offered by any other African port,”
said Trotter. “It is disappointing
at present to find service levels
in the port at such a low ebb,
creating doubt in the minds of the
owners of cross-border cargo as
to whether or not a to change to
another port. This situation is, I
am sure, only temporary due to the
roll-out of the Navis system but it
has to be quickly reversed in order
to save the many jobs dependent
on these exports.”
He says it is important that port
service levels improve and revert
to normal, as the potential for
growth in Africa is immense. “We
have to be part of this growth. We
have the infrastructure to offer
logistical solutions and capitalise
on all opportunities that present
themselves, creating much-needed
foreign exchange and job growth.”