NPA clarifies divisional responsibilities

I REFER to an article that was published in the Freight & Trading Weekly of July 12, 2002 : "Many lines blame Portnet "split" for communication hassles" I wish to make your readers aware of the fact that unlike the assumption made by your journalist that "nobody knows who to speak to and that the restructuring has juggled all the industry's previous contacts" the roles are in fact clearly defined and no-one to our knowledge (apart from your journalist) Siyabonga Gama... no one has a problem understanding the different areas of responsibility. We have communicated these aspects numerous times to our clients and to the media. For the sake of clarity, let me summarise it again: The National Ports Authority (NPA) is responsible for landlord functions: Planning and development of the ports, risk and security management, environmental management and providing marine services (navigation, lighthouses, tugs and pilotage). The South African Port Operations (SAPO) is responsible for all cargo handling and managing specific terminals within the ports. If your query pertains to landlord functions you are welcome to contact NPA at Tel.: 011-242-4028. If your query relates to cargo-handling and terminal operations then you need to contact the South African Port Operations (SAPO) at Tel.: 031- 308-8364. A second issue raised by your journalist is the issue of tariff reform. We find the remark "They're not very co-operative when it comes to driving rates and the like" quite surprising, especially viewed in light of the fact that NPA actively engages its clients through the various communication forums to discuss tariff reform and accommodate client concerns as far as possible. Lastly, we object to biased reporting. We feel that it is in the interest of your readers to get the correct information and your journalist is most welcome to contact us for comment before going to print with one-sided views. Siyabonga Gama, CEO National Ports Authority of South African