Alan Peat THE MORATORIUM on the Durban port congestion surcharge appears to have been imposed although FTW was still awaiting confirmation from the shipping line conferences when this issue went to print on February 18. It's an individual decision by each of the lines. But the industry feeling after last week's conciliatory meeting mediated by the SA Federated Chambers of Commerce (Safcoc) - and the tone of conferences' memos to the member lines - would seem to back the moratorium until March 15. This while the whole messy issue - which hits congestion-innocent shippers and importers with a US$75 per 6m container surcharge - is sorted out. Dave Rennie, c.e. of Unicorn Lines, and chairman of the Container Liner Operators Forum (Clof), declared himself "confident" that the moratorium will stand. But how long it continues depends on how well "all the stakeholders" can get their plans into place and come up with their contributions to beating the congestion problem. This will include efforts by Portnet and the lines to get some sort of workable slot system going at the harbour to beat vessel bunching; the port authorities subsidising equalised rail rates to alternative ports; and cargo owners agreeing to redirect their cargoes as necessary. It also requires Tau Morwe, c.e. of SA Port Operations (Sapo), to find some way of advancing parts of the Durban Port 2005 upgrade wherever he can. This would include as much acceleration as possible of delivery of the 60 straddle carriers - worth R290-million - due at the port this year. But there is now certainly a climate of co-operation in the seafreight industry, with commitments from all the players to do their bit in alleviating the problem of port congestion. It needs "discipline amongst all the parties", according to Nolene Lossau, executive director of the SA Shippers Council (SASC). "But," she said, "if the port is able to come up with a satisfactory slotting agreement, and we can all work together on resolving the current situation, there is no reason why the moratorium should not be implemented." To page 16 From page 1 Edward Little, executive director of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF), expressed similar sentiments. "We hope that the steps agreed at the Safcoc meeting are put into place so we can avoid the surcharge coming into place and the damage it will do to the SA economy," he told FTW. A meeting was held between the lines and Portnet on Tuesday. This, Rennie told FTW, "to take forward the discussions both in terms of the compensation formula, and to see if we can get further on other compensation issues." A meeting is also diarised for today, again convened by Safcoc, where all the stakeholders will be required to update their plans in this possible rescue mission.
