Reddy plans warehouse expansion

Durban remains the port of choice for importers and exporters. It has held this distinction since the discovery of Natal by Vasco Da Gama and anybody with experience in and knowledge of the transport industry knows that not having a firm foothold within Durban is tantamount to suicide. So says Jackie Reddy, manager of Reddy Cargo Services (RCS) Durban, where plans are under way to expand the current facilities of the company to include a larger warehouse. “Our Durban branch is a regional office and not a satellite office,” says Reddy. “It is fully equipped and staffed to operate autonomously without being dependent on the head office. We are also situated close to the Durban Container Terminal and handle all imports and exports via sea, road and rail as well as warehousing.” The Durban branch forms an integral part of RCS, handling all the business along the coast from Richards Bay to Port Elizabeth while being primarily responsible for all cargo from Durban to the Johannesburg head office. “While Richards Bay can handle larger cargo and has been growing rapidly, one must remember that Richards Bay was only developed to take on the overflow from Durban and handle bulk shipments. With the current infrastructure investments from Transnet and government, Durban still is – and is likely to always be – the busiest port in Africa, thus making it the ideal place for a transporter to be based or have a fully functional office as is the case with RCS,” says Reddy. As the port of entry into Johannesburg, Durban is also cheaper than Johannesburg or Cape Town. “Especially in terms of rentals and wages there is a cost saving, but then there’s the high cost of fuel and toll fees along the Johannesburg/Durban corridor. Recent escalations have seen the cost of transport rise significantly.” According to Reddy one major challenge in Durban remains the outdated infrastructure at the port, something which is currently being rectified. “Hopefully this will result in lesser time delays in getting cargo loaded and on the move.”