MSC offers free transport to ensure timeous delivery
Terry Hutson
TWO MOBILE cranes will be moved into the Durban container terminal in anticipation of the busy times that normally arrive in either June or July.
Tau Morwe, CEO of South African Port Operations, confirmed to FTW last week that one mobile crane would move across immediately from the Durban Combi Terminal, where it is under-utilised. He said a second under-used crane would follow shortly from Richards Bay.
Captain Salvatore Sarno, MD of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has meanwhile offered to transport the Richards Bay crane at no cost to Sapo on one of his MSC ships, to ensure its timeous arrival.
The mobile cranes will enable ships at two of the container berths to be worked each with three gangs/cranes, thereby speeding up operations by a factor of up to 50%. At the current rate of between 15 and 16 container moves per hour per crane, an additional machine can increase the operation per ship from 32 moves to 48 moves an hour, thus helping turn ships round much faster.
Other good news is that the 20th new straddle carrier from an order for 60 was expected to enter service at the terminal this week (May 30).
Morwe said that a task team had been appointed to anticipate the mid-year container rush and a meeting involving the National Ports Authority, Sapo and the consultant employed by Sapo, Dr Gustaaf de Monie, would meet on June 1 to study the contingency plans. He said he was confident that every possible step was being taken to anticipate possible congestion at the terminals.
