Flexibility keeps bulk moving in Eastern Cape

Flexibility and the
willingness to “make
a plan” is keeping bulk
cargo moving through
the ports of East London and
Port Elizabeth.
Both ports are running
ahead of most of their targets
for the year.
“Give us the cargo and let us
work out the logistics,” is the
way Nelisiwe
Mbenekazi,
terminal
manager in
the port of
Port Elizabeth
puts it.
The Port
Elizabeth bulk
operations,
which are
dominated by
manganese
exports,
include
imports of
soya, cement,
and some
maize.
With work yet to start
on the building of a new
manganese terminal in the
port of Ngqura, Transnet Port
Terminals (TPT) is continuing
to invest in the manganese
terminal
in order to
keep exports
moving,
according to
Mbenekazi.
Manganese
export volumes
are slightly
down on 2015,
but have been
showing a
steady increase
since a dip at
the start of the
year.
Tenders will
be going out
for the refurbishment of the
existing plant over the next
four months.
Breakbulk volumes are
running nearly 26% over the
target for the year, and nearly
twice that of the same period in
the previous financial year.
Vehicle exports are also
running ahead of budget.
Further up the coast there
has been an immediate increase
in volumes in East London
after the refurbishment of a
rail line connecting the grain
elevator to the hinterland.
“The grain elevator has
experienced an increase in
volumes handled with the
rail revitalisation, allowing
the train to load 60 wagons a
day. Our most recent success
story includes three loads of 40
wagon trains of maize being
loaded for Zimbabwe.
The last time this operation
was conducted was in 2008,”
says East London terminal
manager, Wandisa Vazi.
Siya Mhlaluka, general
manager, Eastern Cape
Transnet Port Terminals,
adds that East London has
the largest grain silo on the
South African coastline, with
design capacity of four million
metric tons a year,
and an operational
performance
averaging 170 tons
per hour.
Automotive
exports through
East London are
running at almost
double the budgeted volume,
agri bulk is 54% ahead of
budget, and breakbulk is
230% over budget.
Volumes are expected to
increase.
According to Oxfam, the
drought in South Africa has
seen production of wheat and
yellow maize down by 28%
from nine million tons to 7.1
million tons.
South Africa has only
imported 155 581 tons of white
maize and has 845 000 tons
to go to reach its predicted
need.
The pressure
will now be on
the ports and
supporting
logistics
infrastructure
to handle the
increased volumes
in order to avoid food
shortages.
“We are confident that
with our highly experienced
workforce and continuous
improvements in safety
measures in place, the
terminal is ready to handle the
demand for maize,” says Vazi.
INSERT
28% The percentage decrease
in the production of
wheat and maize in SA.
INSERT & CAPTION
East London has the
largest grain silo on
the South African
coastline, with design
capacity of four
million metric tons a
year.
– Siya Mhlaluka