Ray Smuts THE AFTER hours surcharge of R10 000 per vessel for pilotage and tug services implemented by the Port of Saldanha on May 1 will not be revoked. That’s the word from port manager Eugene Kearns following a recent meeting in Johannesburg attended by senior NPA officials including Tsietsi Mokhele, executive manager for marine services. Cargo owners were represented by Hennie van Staden of Kumba Resources, operators of the Sishen mine, and Richard Wentzel of Associated Manganese, operators of the mine at Beeshoek. Kearns made it clear there was no question of the surcharge being revoked or revised he said and that cargo owner representatives acknowledged at the meeting that the basic tariff and surcharge was very fair and by no means unique to Saldanha. Its imposition attracted strident criticism from Eric Barnard, chairman of ASABOSA’s Saldanha branch, who questioned the 12-hour working day, saying a 24-hour agreement was in place at the multi-purpose terminal when it came into operation more than 20 years ago. (FTW June 7 2002). The NPA explained it would have been impossible to sustain marine services without additional financial income such as charging extra for after hour services. “The NPA has endeavoured to tidy up some issues surrounding the surcharge to ensure we do not unfairly prejudice those who pay the accounts, such as improving our communication, and we will be meeting with agents and ASABOSA at Saldanha within the next few weeks.” One point which may have been incorrectly misinterpreted, says Kearns, is that mooring, being part of marine services, will form part of the surcharge whereas it is not.” (Only the usual tariff book rate applies). The surcharge aside, the other major point for discussion was projections for long-term iron ore exports from Saldanha - up from the current 24 million tons to 27 million tons next year and to 38 million tons by 2010 - and the necessary infra structural provision. The 26-year-old, two-berth, iron ore infrastructure will be able to handle volumes until roughly 2015 and a three-year South African Ports Operations upgrade to the tune of some R630 million will be completed by next year to include ship loaders, stacker reclaimers and an additional tippler. l Kearns leaves for the United States on July 27 - his first study trip abroad - to attend a two-week course in port management under the auspices of the New York Port Authority.
