South African ports can no longer rest on their laurels or they may soon lose out on cargo volumes to ports on the continent. “While there has been some progress in port developments in the country, advancement on the gem of the African continent – the Port of Durban – has been held back. This has provided the opportunity for ports in West and East Africa to play catch-up,” said Peter Besnard, CEO of the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents. He told FTW that while red tape and procrastination over issues had taken their toll on progress at SA ports, other African ports have been hard at work improving their facilities as well as developing more corridors to attract more cargo. “South African ports, on the other hand, present huge challenges to vessel agents as they battle delays, congestion and ongoing limitations,” said Besnard. To ensure SA stays competitive and doesn’t lose out to regional competitors, Besnard said Saasoa would intensify its efforts to work in collaboration with the port authorities to fast-track progress. “Our priorities for the year also include achieving increased productivity to make our ports 100% more functional and globally recognised,” he said.
