'Portnet gave advance warning of breakdown'

ALTHOUGH NOT necessarily happy about Durban harbour's floating crane being out of operation for a month, and the port having no heavy lift facility (FTW April 19, 2002), the Association of Shipping Lines (ASL) chairman Alan Rolfe, feels that Portnet must be given its due. "They did let us know in advance," he told FTW, "and a combined ASL and Asabosa (Association of Ships Agents and Brokers of SA) letter was sent out to all our members in January letting them know about the crane's down time." The FTW complainant mentioned in our April report was not aware of this correspondence.