Infrastructure upgrades will be tailored to client needs
PORTNET IS to carry out a full investigation into the type of niche markets which the ports of East London, Port Elizabeth and Mossel Bay are to follow as part of their future development, says Terry Taylor, public relations manager for the Port of East London.
It will cover the types of cargoes we should be seeing moving in the years ahead, and the type of equipment each of us needs to handle it, he says.
It will certainly have a major impact on the type of equipment we are to purchase.
East London was scheduled to have two container cranes installed by the beginning of this year, but this has been placed on hold until the surveys are complete. Ironically, the harbour was the first in South Africa to have a container offloaded back in 1977.
I think we will be looking closely at developments concerning Mercedes-Benz and Daimler-Chrysler, says Taylor.
What we are awaiting right now is to see which of the component manufacturers realise that there is excellent opportunity for them to develop plants in this region, adjacent to the motor construction plants requiring their equipment. This can have a major impact on the region industrially and play a big part in our port plans for the future.
We also have to accept that we are facing strict competition from such sources as road transport, and air freight is another form of competition which may grow. To us, there are a lot of hound dogs around and we have to fend them off by offering the best service available.
By Leonard Neill
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