Shippers raise concerns over port bill

Terry Hutson HOW MANY cooks required to spoil the broth? That is one of the issues at stake over the draft National Ports Authority Bill, which has been work-shopped around the country during the past fortnight. According to the draft Bill two ministries, Transport and Public Enterprises, will have jurisdiction, but which is in charge? "We have a major problem and that is that there are too many ministers involved," Ron Draper of the Durban Chamber of Commerce & Industry told the Durban workshop. "We suggest there should be only one, preferably that of Transport." Draper and others are unhappy over inter and intra competitiveness of the ports and believes that port users are being discriminated against. "We're concerned about the diverting of cargo elsewhere, as this has an enormous effect on port users and especially on the price they will pay for concessions. This is just not good enough in our society." He points out that there are already plans to subsidise the movement of cargo through East Cape ports. "Tell us, for example, what the proposed cost of cargo handling at Coega is likely to be." Tony Norton documented a large number of concerns on behalf of the National Port Users Forum. Expressing surprise that the publishing of the draft Independent Port Regulator Bill has been delayed, he said both Bills should be dealt with together. The requirement for the NPA to "co-ordinate the activities of the ports," and the lack of emphasis on inter versus intra-port competition was of particular concern to port users. Similarly he wants clarity on what is meant by an adequate return on investment by the NPA. The government should state up front whether earnings are going to be ring-fenced into the ports. Also at issue is fact that the NPA will become the authority issuing operating licences in the ports. "We assume that general invitations to apply for licences will be issued and not only to specific companies." During the Durban workshop Dumisani Ntuli of the National Department of Transport gave an assurance that earnings from the ports would be used for the enhancement of the ports. Ntuli indicated this would include revenue and fees raised by the concessioning of the terminal business units. A final national workshop was held in Durban on Wednesday (July 31), while the closing date for written comments has been set for August 16, 2002.