THE BIGGEST challenge facing Höegh Autoliners (RSA) is the inefficiency in the ports and terminals of Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. “The turnaround in the ports is not acceptable, especially at the Durban Car Terminal where we face substantial delays which become very expensive,” says marketing manager Carol Graham. “Generally we look positively at the future in South Africa but the biggest question is whether the ports can become competitive and deliver an acceptable service.” She says Höegh Autoliners is experiencing solid import and export growth. “Our services to and from South Africa are looking very good. With the increase in car sales we are facing considerable volume increases.” Providing sufficient capacity for these volumes, particularly in view of global capacity shortfalls, at least until mid/end 2007, is a challenge, she says. “If we look at the car ratio versus driver-eligible population, there is still huge growth potential. As long as the economy is performing well, we expect to see sales increase and the influx of new vehicle brands and models continue to grow,” says Graham. “Globally the ro-ro business is steaming ahead at full speed and all indications are that this will continue. “Höegh Autoliners today is the largest ro-ro operator to and from South Africa and was the first to enter the market when trade barriers were removed. “We therefore feel we have a special link to the country and hope to be able to expand our business here, but any service expansion must make sense strategically in a larger picture.” She added that confidence in the market could be seen through the extensive newbuilding programmes currently in place. Our company alone is taking delivery of about four newbuildings per year on average.”
