FTW pick: Draught reduced at more Durban berths

With the Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA’s) plans to dredge a number of silted-up berths at the Port of Durban having proved unworkable, the authority has now had to declare reduced permissible draughts at three more container berths.

According to TNPA, SA ports are supposed to have ongoing maintenance programmes of dredging to remove silt deposited by rivers that compromise port depth, to remove high and low spots resulting from propulsion wash (also termed ‘scouring’) during the movement of ships, and to counter the effect of littoral drift or long-shore movement of sand.

But with Durban berths silting up as they have just done, doubt has to be cast on the efficiency of the dredging services’ timetable.

And this recent TNPA emergency dredging plan has just failed.

To read the full FTW story, click here.
http://www.ftwonline.co.za/FTWeditions/2015/2154-12June2015/index.html