Port Elizabeth volumes stable as manganese exports hold up

Volumes of containers through
the Port of Port Elizabeth are
holding steady, as the twin ports
in Nelson Mandela Bay continue
to “compliment each other,” says
Transnet Port Terminals (TPT)
Eastern Cape spokesperson Sindie
Ndwalaza.
There has been a breakthrough
with the export of vehicles from
Gauteng-based manufacturers.
With car trains running largely
empty from Gauteng to the coast,
there is an opportunity for the
Gauteng-based companies to use
the empty leg and the PE car
terminal.
While vehicle exports are
down as a result of the global
recession, manganese exports
are holding up.
“Year to date (end September)
volumes are currently 574 345
tons or 26.8% ahead of budget.
Vessels are now working to
pre-booked slots, with a number
of owners electing to wait their
turn in the roadstead. As a result,
Algoa Bay is frequently dotted
with anchored ore vessels.