SA’s TEU handling up 40% is 2010 goal

LEONARD NEILL
SOUTH AFRICA’S ports are expected to be handling 4,5m TEUs – 20ft equivalent containers – by the year 2010. This represents an increase of 40% on the current 3,2m TEUs, says Solly Letsoalo, general manager of container terminals for South African Port Operations (Sapo). “This will require Sapo spending R6,5bn during the next four years on new cranes and other equipment to cope with the increased traffic,” he says. “We need to ensure our ports are prepared and have the equipment to handle the cargo.” South Africa’s economy expanded by 4,9% last year, says Letsoalo. “That’s the fastest pace in 21 years and the government intends boosting this to 6% by 2010 to cut the country’s 26,7% unemployment rate. It means that we at Sapo must meet this challenge at the six main ports in South Africa that we oversee,” he concluded.