IF THERE were five things we could change in the current shipping environment, this is what they would be, in no particular order of priority, says SA Shippers' Council executive director Nolene Lossau.
Privatised port
operations
The current monopolistic situation with Portnet has not been conducive to normal competitive business practice. The sooner port operations are privatised and normal business practice can take place, the sooner South Africa will be on the road to world competitiveness.
Cost-related rail transport rates
The Shippers' Council believes in the policies of User pays and No cross-subsidisation.
We would like to see these policies applied to rail transport in the current monopolistic situation. At the same time we would like to create win-win business relationships with Spoornet in order to improve the local and international competitiveness of rail transport customers through the introduction of cost-saving measures and operational improvements.
This will require the establishment of a framework to co-operate together in a new way. This is particularly important at a time when the rail transport industry is in a process of transformation and re-organisation with a serious deterioration in the quality of the service being provided.
Better educated staff within the shipping environment
A career in shipping is not seen by youngsters as something to aim for. We believe that this is due to a lack of emphasis by the shipping industry on marketing shipping as an exciting job opportunity.
In addition there is an apparent lack of willingness on the part of service providers to train their staff. Let's see more experienced, better educated (and therefore motivated) staff in all positions from the quayside through to middle management.
Tourism is now a matric subject at some schools - why not shipping?
Customs & Excise
Legitimate business should not be interfered with by Customs. The Customs & Excise environment should be a user-friendly, customer service orientated experience for legitimate importers and exporters. A system which would allow for busimess processes to continue while customs disputes are resolved needs to be implemented.
Wharfage charge should be cost-based
The wharfage charges levied on exports and imports have just become another form of taxation.
Historically wharfage was implemented to allow for the maintenance and creation of port infrastructure. Unfortunately the total funds generated by wharfage have not been re-invested in infrastructure in the ports and therefore this charge is not justified.
We would like to see cost-related charges for the cost of maintaining and creating the common port infrastructure. However, wharfage as a value-related tax, in addition to loading charges, is not acceptable.
The editor welcomes your comments. Fax your letters to FTW on (011) 726-3994.
Executive
director of the SA Shippers' Council Nolene Lossau reveals her wish list for a South African shipping industry 'utopia'.
