New facilities woo Jo’burg customers

Big investment in vehicle handling facilities Nosipho Damasane . . . automotive component exports also growing. ED RICHARDSON VEHICLE HANDLING facilities in Port Elizabeth harbour are being upgraded. The port of Port Elizabeth is responsible for transporting 59 000 of the 260 000 cars that are handled nationally by Sapo. Exports of automotive components are also growing. “We are positioning the ports of Port Elizabeth and East London for the car industry to create a strategy that will attract manufacturers from cities like Johannesburg to use the ports for export,” says Nosipho Damasane, general manager of South African Port Operations (Sapo). Sapo in PE will invest in car terminal parking bays at the port. “In addition there will be value-added services like washing and dewaxing of cars,” says Siya Mhlaluka, business unit executive of PE Terminals. The bulk terminals for manganese ore will also be upgraded in the face of increasing demand for ore from the Far East. Mhlaluka says that upgrades in the car and manganese terminals will accommodate expansion. Total expenditure will amount to R352million. The port has also invested in straddle carriers and crane upgrades. Damasane said Sapo was engaging with the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality to ensure that its strategies were aligned regarding road infrastructure. Ongoing discussions are also underway with Transnet to integrate transport to provide better services for businesses. “Sapo integration with Transnet is important to ensure that the supply chain is covered,” she says. Sapo hopes that by working with the rail company, it can create a port-rail package for businesses. She expects the Port of Ngqura to be operating by 2008, partly due to investment limitations. “We are however positive about the positioning of Coega for imports and exports,” she said.