Portnet wants to call in overseas consultants

WORK IS to go ahead on phase 1 of expansion plans at the Durban terminal, sources have revealed.
This includes developing berths 206/207 and adjacent stack areas. Portnet m.d. Rob Childs had earlier placed a moratorium on further terminal development.
Meanwhile, Portnet intends calling in overseas consultants to prepare recommendations on improving efficiency levels at the country's ports and a UK firm has already tendered to make this study for a fee of £169 000 (R1,4 million).
The shipping lines have told Childs that more efficient and productive use of existing facilities was required instead of new terminals or ports.
In particular the methodology of container handling has been questioned, including using reach stackers instead of straddle carriers to stack TEUs more than three high (as is already being done near berths 108/109), and up to three gantry cranes per cellular vessel instead of two.
The consensus among shipping lines is that the situation could now improve since open lines of communication have been established following last week's meeting with Childs, but the need for overseas consultants has been questioned. They maintain that this route has already been explored. The expertise and know-how is already available in this country, they say.
Childs announced that railage rates between Eastern Cape ports and Gauteng will remain equalised with those between Durban and Gauteng until the year 2000. Cape Town/Gauteng railage rates will now be equalised until 31 July 1998.
BY TERRY HUTSON