Efforts to claw back lost throughput at the Port of Cape Town following Covid-related essential staff shortages and subsequent cargo processing delays have been set back by the stormy weather that made landfall yesterday.
That’s according to an industry insider after this morning’s public-private stakeholder session with Transnet.
Whereas recent working-the-vessel restoration initiatives such as personnel redeployment from the Port of Durban to Cape Town have helped speed up services, the source, whose details are withheld, said it seemed no longer feasible that the lockdown backlog would be cleared by the end of the month.
“As opposed to end July, the plan is now early August, weather permitting,” the source said, with reference to the Cape Town Container Terminal.
As for the Multi-Purpose Terminal, he said it had been affected by swells and weather and had only managed to work one vessel.
Since the arrival of yesterday’s cold front in the Cape, swells of up to 13 metres have been recorded in Table Bay.
According to the source, of the 10 vessels waiting for berthing slots, nine had to lift anchor and were safely moved.
“The tenth experienced problems, but due to intervention by the port, was safely moved.”
The port itself was affected by seven-metre swells coming in, affecting quay-side vessels and necessitating immediate intervention from port personnel.
The source said harbour master Alex Miya and his team should be commended for the manner in which casualties were prevented.