Throughput efficiencies at the Port of Cape Town are steadily improving, with several interventions bearing fruit - so much so that Covid-related cargo build-up could soon be cleared up.
That’s according to Terry Gale who chairs the Exporters’ Club of the Western Cape (ECWC).
Speaking during a webinar about virus response and recovery measures the club co-hosted with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Gale said industry reckoned that by the end of the month the backlog should be overcome.
Previously that backlog, mainly caused by staff staying home fearing infection with the coronavirus, led to significant port-side service shortfalls.
“When the lockdown started we used to have 15-16 vessels at anchorage, with delays lasting for 14-15 days. Some of the delays were a TBA-situation (to be announced).”
Now, with Transnet and private sector freight representatives meeting twice weekly to thrash out solutions for slow processing, the port could soon receive direct calls from the same shipping lines who only a few weeks ago started bypassing the port, electing instead to tranship cargo destined for Cape Town at Port Elizabeth.
Confirming previous reports that the staffing issues were being successfully addressed, Gale, who was a vocal critic of port management at the height of the delays, said Transnet was doing “tremendous work” in sorting things out.
“We have six gangs – the teams required to operate specialised assets – where we started off with one. Transnet is also training new teams to come on board.”
As for the berths, two were fully operational, meaning imports and exports could move a lot more quickly, and expectations were that a third could soon be back on line.”
It was going to take some more coordination and public-private stakeholder sessions, he told the HKTDC.
With the ECWC adding to industry update initiatives through daily WhatsApp posts, Gale said he believed progressive interventions were key to restoring 1st world standards at the Port of Cape Town.
