Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) has denied claims that the terminal operating system, Navis, is on the brink of collapse. Over the past few weeks the system has been down, often for hours on end, resulting not only in long delays for cargo, but also significant costs for shippers. Oscar Borchards, the acting manager of TPT’s container quay in Cape Town, said officials were aware of the ongoing problems. “We are working very hard to find a solution and a team from Navis is on site looking at the system,” he said. “We have also procured the necessary hardware to assist with the difficulty and we are hopeful that this system will be stabilised sooner rather than later.” Speaking at the Exporters’ Club Western Cape, Borchards said all attempts were being made to ensure the system did not act up. “As TPT we acknowledge that it has been a difficult time and that we have failed in terms of service delivery.” But, said Borchards, port officials had worked hard over the past month to address some of the big complaints and they were making progress. “We have really put effort into getting our shipping schedules right. The sequence is still slightly out, but we are improving.” Calling for collaboration with industry, Borchards said there was a commitment from the TPT management team to find solutions to industry complaints as quickly as possible.
