‘Port authorities are ignoring their clients’

ALAN PEAT WHILE THE four shipowners/operators who talked to FTW about their serious complaints about the port of Richards Bay asked to remain anonymous, Garth Macartney, president of the Zululand Chamber of Business (ZCB), was not so reticent in releasing his name along with his criticism. “The chamber,” he said, “has been made aware of the general deficiencies of the port and has tried to address some of the issues via the Port Liaison Committee (PLC) which was a ZCB initiative. “Of most concern was the regular turnover of senior staff and the problems related to casual staff. We would like to see an emphasis on the training of personnel and continuity of qualified, responsible staff.”