Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Categories
    • Categories
    • Africa
    • Air Freight
    • BEE
    • Border Beat
    • COVID-19
    • Customs
    • Domestic
    • Duty Calls
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy/Fuel
    • Freight & Trading Weekly
    • Imports and Exports
    • Infrastructure
    • International
    • Logistics
    • Other
    • People
    • Road/Rail Freight
    • Sea Freight
    • Skills & Training
    • Social Development
    • Technology
    • Trade/Investment
    • Webinars
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
    • Editorial Guidelines
Logistics
Road/Rail Freight

Harbour carrier solution to hopefully ease congestion – TPT

13 Aug 2024 - by Staff reporter
Transporters claim the loathed truck booking system is at the heart of cargo delays, cost escalations, and business closure. 
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

A 14-day pilot solution has been proposed by Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and private-sector stakeholders to resolve land-side delays in cargo movement, primarily because of the parastatal’s truck-slot booking system, which has played havoc with harbour carrier operations.

A statement released by TPT says the initiative could be instituted this week, and that the intention is for it to “help with truck bookings at the Durban Container Terminal (DCT)”.

The state-owned logistics company said the plan had emerged out of the engagement it had with industry last Thursday.

The TPT statement said: “The two-week pilot which will be fully adopted if successful, includes dedicating 16 straddle carriers to service trucks on the landside.

“Currently, there are six windows in a 24-hour period where an average of 325 truck booking slots are made available every four hours. As part of the pilot, this will change to two windows in a 48-hour period where an average of 2 840 truck booking slots will be made available in one go.

“This would allow smaller transporters with less resources to compete fairly with bigger transporters who had dedicated administrative staff to secure bookings.”

Attempts to clear backlogging at DCT include a volume-driven approach in which all import container releases of more than 50 containers per transporter per vessel will not require any bookings for evacuation.

“However, group import release codes will be used with start and end times applied,” TPT said.

Regarding recent accusations by harbour carriers that block bookings by large concerns were not redeemed and forfeited for the entire industry without slots being re-added into the system, the logistics utility said: “The wasting of slots was a critical matter and both parties agreed that transporters responsible for wasting slots would face penalties.

“As a way of work, the terminal would firm up stacks earlier and share with transporters 24 hours in advance.”

TPT said it acknowledged the representatives of transport logistics associations, with over 300 members in trucking that raised the need for DCT Pier 2 to speed up its equipment replacement plan, as this was partly to blame for current challenges.

This was especially in view of increasing macroeconomic pressures and an industry in distress, the statement said.

Data from DCT’s Pier 2 truck booking systems supports analysis that demand currently weighing on existing capacity, confirms the following analysis, “that a total of 224 944 trucks had been handled by end July”.

“This was an average of 1 950 truck booking slots made available per day,” TPT said.

“Of these, an average of 203 slots were wasted daily – where bookings were made and not used. Of the total transport companies on the database, less than 10% were able to secure more than four slots per window.

“Also, when slots were made available – they were taken up within 30 seconds from the time they were made available. This is owing to the competitive nature of the logistics sector, especially in Durban, as the largest maritime hub in the country.”

In relation to complaints that the booking system was open to exploitation and abuse, the statement said: “The Transnet Forensic Investigations Unit was investigating allegations of corruption related to the manipulation of the truck booking system by users and employees alike, following several media reports where the matter has been raised.”

Nothing further about the investigation is contained in the statement.

Regarding ongoing efforts to improve operational output through equipment improvements, TPT said: “DCT Pier 2 will receive components of the first batch of 20 straddle carriers arriving later in the year as an improvement in equipment availability will contribute to improved operations.”

On Tuesday morning a harbour carrier representative requested to reserve comment until further discussions with Transnet were concluded on August 13.

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.
Subscribe to receive print copies of Freight News Features to your door.

Container vessel remains detained in Malaysia

Logistics
Sea Freight

The captain, a Russian national, failed to present any documents authorising the anchorage.

22 May 2025
0 Comments

Improved weather boosts soybean harvest across South Africa

Imports and Exports

Total deliveries last Friday were 1.5 million tonnes – a 10% increase on the same period last year.

22 May 2025
0 Comments

Trump meeting hailed as a ‘great success’

Trade/Investment

The president said the meeting had fulfilled South Africa’s key objectives to reset its relationship with the United States.

22 May 2025
0 Comments

Trump talks: SA delegates put on strong show despite initial drama

Freight & Trading Weekly
International

That the US President would go for the jugular about the treatment of white farmers was to be expected.

21 May 2025
0 Comments

Road rot – Viljoenskroon highlights deteriorating infrastructure

Logistics
Road/Rail Freight

It begs the question, how is Transnet going to bring about change in how we move freight? – Gavin Kelly, chief executive, RFA.

21 May 2025
0 Comments

BMA steps in to help DG and FMCG cargo at Groblersbrug

Border Beat
Road/Rail Freight

Officials said they could only assist with AEO cargo once it was in the control zone.

21 May 2025
0 Comments

Heavy lifter moves beach pavilion in feat of project logistics

Logistics

Self-propelled modular transportation ensured the building could be carried in one piece.

21 May 2025
0 Comments

Solid contracts help navigate global uncertainties

Customs
Freight & Trading Weekly
Skills & Training
Trade/Investment

“Citrus growers of the Western Cape have firsthand experience, with tariff hikes touted by the US leaving local exporters unable to compete."

21 May 2025
0 Comments

MSC acquires stake in Ukrainian logistics firm

Logistics

Medlog has bought 50% of a local intermodal logistics operator and shares in a cross-border terminal.

21 May 2025
0 Comments

Transnet and Grindrod strike R285m container deal

Logistics

The new facility will boost capacity fourfold to 200 000 TEUs per annum.

21 May 2025
0 Comments

OPINION: All eyes on Washington for US-SA bilateral negotiations

Economy

Imagine the Budget is rejected yet again, and Elon Musk whispers into Trump’s good ear: “These guys can’t even pass a national budget.”

21 May 2025
0 Comments

China imposes sweeping tariffs on US, EU, Japan and Taiwan

Imports and Exports

The newly imposed tariffs, effective immediately, vary significantly by region and company.

20 May 2025
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

Namibia 23 May 2025

Border Beat

BMA steps in to help DG and FMCG cargo at Groblersbrug
21 May 2025
The N4 Maputo Corridor crossing – congestion, crime and potholes
12 May 2025
Fuel-crime curbing causes tanker build-up at Moz border
08 May 2025
More

Featured Jobs

Branch Manager (DBN)

Tiger Recruitment
Durban
22 May

General Manager

Switch Recruit
Centurion
22 May
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us