Pressure is mounting over the movement of high cube containers in South Africa with just over 100 days to go until a moratorium allowing for heights of 4.6m during transport is lifted.
While government has said it will not change the regulatory height from 4.3m to 4.5 or 4.6m, industry has in turn said it will then not be able to transport the more than 800 000 high cubes that move through South Africa’s ports every year. “The issue has really been one of exports,” said one industry stakeholder who preferred not to be named.
“The decision by Transnet Port Terminals, however, to no longer handle high cubes unless they have an assurance that the boxes will be moved out of the port makes this personal with importers and their agents. If TPT is not moving these containers off the vessels then we are affecting our imports and this becomes a massive crisis.”
Practically it means no food, no spares, no cars, no clothes will be delivered come January. “The back pockets of importers will be dented as they will have to pay for goods but are not in a position to sell the goods which will be stuck on vessels in the ports.” Shipping lines have added their voice to the ongoing debate. While no formal confirmation is available, it is rumoured that the carriers have given the Department of Transport until September 14 to sort out the issue or they will approach their respective embassies and trade attachés to find suitable answers.
Gavin Kelly, spokesman for the Road Freight Association, said the call by government that they keep the current height restriction of 4.3m but that operators apply for abnormal permits and continue to transport high cubes at 4.6m could also take an interesting turn.
“The MEC of transport in each province has the right to issue an exemption permit,” he said. “That means an MEC could feasibly say in my province we are issuing an exemption permit for ISO containers exceeding the height of 4.3m and they can then just be moved as they are being done at present at 4.6m.”
He said it would depend on each and every MEC.
“This has the potential to solve the problem or make it worse. It does depend, however, on whether this is about money. If it is about revenue generation then one can expect permits to be issued,” he said. “This is really going to depend on the MEC and the staff concerned in every province.”
An MEC could feasibly say in my province we are issuing an exemption permit and they can then just be moved as they are being done at present at 4.6m. – Gavin Kelly
