Lack of communication inhibits truck flow at RB

A serious lack of
communication from
Transnet National Ports
Authority (TNPA) to the
road transport industry
is currently throttling the
flow of truck-transported
breakbulk cargoes of coal
and minerals to the Port of
Richards Bay.
According to Theuns
van Tonder, manager of
port operations at Saldanha
and Richards Bay for steel
company ArcelorMittal, this
is a vital supply line to the
port.
“Road transport is a
permanent fixture,” he told
FTW, “due to the inability
of Transnet Freight Rail
(TFR) to meet industry
requirements.”
And, he added: “It is
foreseen that road motor
transport (RMT) will
increase significantly to
Richards Bay in future.”
There were two recent
instances of the port
management’s lack of
communication which are
inhibiting the efficient flow
of heavy trucks, according
to Van Tonder.
One was Transnet
Port Terminals (TPT)
introducing an alternative
truck stop at Alton, on the
Western Arterial roadway
outside central RB, as from
November 28. “This,” he
told FTW, “with no prior
consultation with port
users.”
The second disturbing
factor is that the muchneeded
truck staging area at
the South Port Entrance has
not yet materialised. This,
according to Van Tonder,
because of TNPA moving
forward at a snail’s pace, and
keeping quiet about it.
“The implementation
dates are unknown,” he said,
“due to a complete lack of
information/communication
from TNPA.”
To try to overcome these
major problems, the SA
Shippers’ Council (SASC)
has submitted to TNPA
proposals gleaned from port
users and road transporters.
One set out procedures
for all cargo-carrying trucks
above 3 500 kilograms
entering the port through the
West Gate and bound for the
7 series RMT staging area.
The other laid out all
the site development
requirements to upgrade
the RMT staging area into
an efficient and smoothrunning
facility.
According to Van Tonder,
the urgent implementation of
these industry suggestions
is intended to overcome the
present problems slowing
down movement along this
critical supply line to the
Port of Richards Bay.