Spate of strikes plays havoc with terminal productivity

Playing a game of catch-up is bad for business
TERRY HUTSON
THE ‘strike season’ has seen productivity at the Durban container terminals drop markedly says Lawrie Bateman, managing director of MSC Logistics. “At the beginning of 2006 things were beginning to look better, but then came the spate of industrial action which always seems to target Durban and the port’s container terminals. Is this a part of the negotiating process? One begins to thinks so. “The latest strike (at the beginning of May) was the last straw as far as we were concerned. Since then the terminal has been playing a game of catch-up and everything has slowed down considerably, leading to an escalating chain of events – none of them good for the business.” Bateman says that DCT is capable of coping well with ‘normal’ traffic but the moment there is an upsurge then things begin to fall apart. “The other day the terminal had about 16 000 boxes – the capacity is 21 000 so 16 000 is pretty full and this immediately led to restrictions on movement and a slowing of service.” “There’s talk about this being a 24-hour operation and that the private sector isn’t helping in that respect by keeping ‘office hours’. Well I can tell you that’s not so – we at MSC Logistics run a 24-hour operation but still face delays, even after dark when things are supposed to be more quiet.” He said it was particularly difficult for owner drivers who are unable to do more than two trips to DCT a day during these delays. “Providing a third lane in Langeberg Road hasn’t helped. There’s still massive congestion and it needs a fresh look, not this stand alone attitude of ‘it’s outside our gates and therefore not our problem,’ which is the wrong approach. Why not make better use of outside advice in finding a solution, such as from the Harbour Carriers’ Association?”