Sarno focuses on Gauteng

After years of lobbying
with the port authorities
about the its management
of waterside operations at
the Port of Durban, MSC
chairman Salvatore Sarno
feels he has achieved
his ends, and is moving
his work gambit from
operations to marketing.
At the same time, he is
moving into a commuter
role between Durban and
Johannesburg to better
fulfil his marketing task
in what he described as
“the heart of SA” and
where the bulk of his
line’s clients are located.
“I enjoyed
Johannesburg for three
years when I first came to
SA,” Sarno added. “I’m
now back in the arena,
and will enjoy meeting
with many old clients of
mine.”
He also expressed
satisfaction at the efforts
to sort out the problems at
the Port of Durban.
“The Port of Durban
is going into a new
era,” Sarno told FTW.
“Everything has become
better. Our ships, for
example, are now berthed
on arrival.
“After a year of
discussion, and a change
of port management,
we now have the
infrastructure that is
required.”
He suggested that
productivity at the port
had improved. “And, with
seven new ship-to-shore STS) cranes due for the
North Pier, and two new
cranes on the East Quay,
the productivity will
increase even further.”
According to Sarno, this
sorted out the East Quay,
where the old-generation
cranes created a permanent
productivity problem. “All
these are now working
well,” he said, “and this
allows me to move to
marketing with an easy
mind.”
Sarno also feels that
new Transnet CEO, Brian
Molefe, understands the
needs of the ports and that
he acts promptly when
matters are raised which
need to be sorted out. He
also expressed his support
for Karl Socikwa, CEO of
Transnet Port Terminals
(TPT), and indeed all
the management and
technicians at the port.
“All the management is
OK, and the situation at
the port is OK, so I can
now move from Durban
and concentrate on
marketing in Johannesburg
full time,” he said.