The performance of terminals at the Port of Durban continues to improve as stakeholders work together to ensure that operations normalise.Kwazi Mabaso, Acting Managing Executive: Durban Terminals, has described it as a collaborative work in progress. “We are nowhere near where we want to be in terms of performance and efficiency, but we are making progress,” he told Freight News. “This has been achieved over the past financial year by focusing on three pillars: equipment, people and process.”By going back to basics, major improvements in production had been made, added Mabaso. “We have handled a new record of volume at Pier 1, reaching 98% of the design capacity. A total of 689 246 TEUs was handled at the terminal, which has a capacity of 700 000 TEUs. Also, at the car terminal, we improved efficiency significantly by moving more than 531 755 units in the past financial year again, setting a new record for volume at the terminal, which has a landside capacity of 520 000 units.”Mabaso described this as a story of resilience more than anything else. “We must not forget that 2021 was not an easy year for Durban. There was the civil unrest to contend with and, as Transnet, we had to deal with the cyber attack as well. “Despite these challenges, we set new frontiers, highlighting our commitment to the industry to do things better.”Mabaso said that by focusing on more preventive maintenance, fewer equipment breakdowns were occurring. In addition, the implementation of an incentive scheme had encouraged Transnet employees to increase productivity. According to Mabaso, while the Transnet Port Terminals at the Port of Durban had not been as affected by the f loods as many other areas in the city, the most recent f loods had highlighted the importance of the port to the South African economy. “It was clear, in the way various role players and stakeholders came together to address the crisis, that there was a clear understanding of the importance of Durban in ensuring that South Africa Inc. works.”He said going forward, it was important to build on what had been achieved so far. “We need to make sure that the entire supply chain is working in harmony and that we are not just looking at terminal operations. We have to work together if we want to see overall improvements. We can also achieve so much more working together across the supply chain.”With the terminals at the Port operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it is essential that depots and warehouses operate the same for a f luid supply chain.Recently, added Mabaso, the container terminals had successfully piloted an ambient reefer train from the back of the port facility. “We are very happy with the outcome of this pilot that saw a 50-wagon train moved to Durban Container Terminals from the back-of-port facility within seven hours.”Mabaso said this indicated that reefer trains could be used during the peak fruit season to reduce the number of trucks on the road. “Our discussions with cargo owners and shipping lines have shown that we have eight hours to move the reefers unplugged, and this pilot showed it can be done.”
