Lines demand answers to terminal extension delays

RAY SMUTS
THE DEPARTMENT of Environmental Affairs and Tourism decision on vital extensions to Cape Town’s container terminal is taking far too long, says MSC regional director for the Western Cape, Mike Economou. “The National Ports Authority should be putting a lot more pressure on them (Environmental Affairs) than they have to date,” he told FTW. “As far as I am aware, sufficient surveys were done right from the start and the time has come for the industry to receive a concrete answer: what is the situation with the extension?” As an exclusive user of the Cape Town container terminal - no multi-purpose terminal involvement whatsoever - Economou is gratified to note that from an operational perspective there is much more focus and commitment than in the past. “What is most important, given the nature of delays in Cape Town container terminal (wind and so forth), is that our ships get out of here as quickly as possible to Europe. “The wind is the wind, but the human element is doing the best it can at the container terminal, despite the elements, and that is encouraging.” Not given to talking volumes and figures, Economou says 2005 was a good year for MSC in the Western Cape, though he believes this will be a difficult year, given not only the strong rand but that volumes of several export fruit products - plums for one - are down significantly. And, as a parting word, he believes containers will gain more ground for perishable exports in future, although he believes that there will always be support for the specialised reefer option, such vessels carrying refrigerated cargo mostly under deck while offering a limited on-deck container option.