Exporters in the Western Cape have welcomed the ending of the Transnet strike, saying a sense of normalcy is fast returning to the Port of Cape Town.
According to Terry Gale, chairman of Exporters Western Cape, the strike, although over, highlighted the fragility of the port system.
“Our belief is the strike could have been averted had the unions engaged at the quarterly Port Consultative Committee (PCC) meetings, which to date neither Untu nor Satawu have attended. Prevention is better than cure – be proactive, not reactive!” said Gale.
In Cape Town, port operations were back on track and rapid improvements are expected within the next few weeks - although the windy season has also arrived, and with gales blowing in the Mother City, operations have been hampered, causing further delays in the working of vessels.
The Port of Cape Town is traditionally under severe pressure between October and February as, due to its location, it is heavily impacted by wind - often bringing terminals to a complete standstill. Port authorities have been continuously working on mitigating the issue, including the installation of a shore tension unit to address surging along the quay. A second such unit is on the cards.
On Friday there were four container vessels at anchorage outside the port, with two berthed at the Cape Town Container Terminal. Seven gangs were operational, six of these on the waterside.
The multipurpose terminal was not operational, but a vessel is expected to berth sometime this weekend.
