Saldanha shippers demand meeting over after-hours surcharge

Ray Smuts MAJOR IRON ore shippers, with the backing of ASABOSA, have challenged the National Ports Authority over the new 'after hours' surcharge and the manner in which it was implemented at the Port of Saldanha (FTW May 24, 2002). The argument revolves around the imposition of a R10 000 surcharge for the handling of iron ore vessels outside of the "normal" 12-hour working day. Eric Barnard, chairman of ASABOSA's Saldanha branch, claims the surcharge was not thoroughly discussed with any of the role players. He disputes the 12-hour day, saying when the port's multi-purpose terminal came into operation more than 20 years ago a 24- hour working agreement was in place. "It is only now that port hours have started changing that everybody is running about trying to find their original contract in which the number of hours is stipulated. Nobody has anything in writing about port hours changing and there has been no official notification of that." Barnard, referring to a communication by port manager Eugene Kearns, that the "principals" were notified of the surcharge, says they are overseas "so what the NPA has obviously done is spoken to the wrong people." Shippers are due to meet this month (June) with Tsietsi Mokhele, the NPA's executive manager for marine services. "Our argument is that this surcharge is totally unjustified. Port costs are up by 33.3% and now the NPA wants to slam R10 000 per vessel on top. All they are basically trying to do is cover their losses. "