New Pier and customers iron out differences

Daily stacks to be issued ALAN PEAT AN AIR of co-operation now surrounds the relationship between Durban’s private sector harbour carriers and the SA Port Operation (Sapo) management at New Pier, the port’s alternative container terminal. This followed a battle brewing between harbour users and the port authorities over the slowness of cargo movement at the terminal. But, said Malcolm Sodalay, marketing and business development manager of container truckers, Sammar Investments, and chairman of the Durban harbour carriers section of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff), a “positive meeting” has just been held with New Pier terminal manager, Louis du Toit. At the meeting, Du Toit briefed the carriers on the developments taking place at Pier 1 – the construction and the like – and the problems that this currently caused the terminal operation. “We also discussed what we as carriers would need to do to streamline the delivery/collection of containers at the terminal,” said Sodalay. It had been agreed that the terminal would not allow itself to go above 75% stack capacity – as Du Toit described the “nightmare” that had recently developed as a result of congestion, and the terminal having to run at 104% capacity. “He also promised better communication with the transporters,” Sodalay added, “something that improved matters tremendously in our relationship with the main Durban Container Terminal (DCT).” The harbour carriers association has also been asked to sit in on the Pier 1 users forum – a monthly discussion of the developments and problems at the facility. In similar vein, the pier management are also to issue each carrier with a daily stack position – outlining what collections and deliveries can be made by the trucking companies. “They have assured us of being co-operative,” said Sodalay, “and I can’t help but feel that we’ll eventually get everything together.”