It is hoped that when Transnet meets with the freight industry tomorrow in the second of a twice-weekly problem-solving session about Covid-19 efficiency shortcomings at the Port of Cape Town, the agenda will be topped by delay-related surcharges.
This comes after two shipping lines, CMA CGM and Cosco, last week introduced surcharges because of congestion related to coronavirus staff shortages and the resulting impact on container throughput.
On Friday Mike Walwyn, Western Cape director for the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff), told Freight News that these surcharges were $550 and $1100 respectively for 20ft and 40ft containers.
“With South Africa’s fruit export season in full flight, it’s not a happy situation when you have to pay $1100 for a box of fruit,” Walwyn said.
CMA CGM reportedly was the first line to introduce the penalty.
They were also, according to an anonymous source from the freight forwarding industry, the only major line present at last Thursday’s initial meeting between port authorities and industry about Cape Town’s terminal problems.
Prior to that initial meeting about congestion at the port, which caused vessels to wait at anchorage for days before they could berth, lines like DAL and Maersk announced that for the foreseeable future they would not call directly at the port.
Since last week’s developments, Walwyn said it was encouraging to notice that the gangs of operational staff working equipment at the main terminal had been restored to four.
Previously the port battled to put three gangs together.
With the number of shift staffers restored to four, and Transnet reaching out to industry to improve processing levels at the port, Walwyn said it was good to see lines changing their schedules.
He said it was also encouraging to see port officials pulling out the stops to clear backlogging at the port.
“Middle managers at the port are competent and highly skilled. Senior management unfortunately is a different question.
“I’m not convinced whether or not they should have taken a tougher stance on their workers when people started staying at home because of the virus. On the other hand, if people are kept away from work because of lockdown regulations, what can you do?”
