When TNPA first proposed the deepening and reconstruction of Maydon Wharf (see lead story), the plan was that they’d refurbish the unused Berth 12, a shipping executive told FTW. “This would increase the capacity, and they would then do the other berths one by one so there was no big loss of capacity. This seemed very suitable, and we welcomed the refurbishment. “But they’ve been slow, and are now planning to take out Berths 1&2 and 13&14 in April. That’s a lot of capacity out of the system.” We were also told that the lines now had “grave concerns” about this latest refurbishment plan. And, expressing this fear at last week’s meeting with TNPA, it appeared that the SA Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa) suggested that it would lead to “huge delays, and the chance of ships having to bypass Durban”. And it went beyond that. Apparently, the lines have heard that TNPA haven’t even issued the tenders for the Maydon Wharf works – and that they are still talking to the contractors. “This, we were told, could mean that the chosen contractors might have other work on their plate, and might not be able to take on the Maydon Wharf contract on the April 1 kick-off date for the refurbishment of Berths 1, 2, 13 and 14,” he said. Also, a maritime executive told FTW: “It’s now suddenly become urgent. But they haven’t come up with any contingency plan yet. There has been no communication with the lines on what the alternatives would be. “What should have happened was for TNPA to have asked themselves how best they could work things out in the best interests of everybody. But it’s only now that they are trying to find the alternatives.” Not that the TNPA aren’t taking these issues to heart. At last week’s meeting, CE Tau Morwe was part of the TNPA team. So, to find out the authority’s reaction to these loud complaints from the shipping industry, FTW discussed the matter in some detail with Zola Nkowane, senior operations manager of Maydon Wharf. She promised to put together an official reply to the lines’ complaints and to try to get it to FTW in time for this week’s issue. But she did admit to the problem of “TNPA procedures” on press responses, which, in the end, stalled any response before this week’s FTW deadline. However, we will publish this response as soon as it is received.
