Importers the ‘fly in the ointment’ Oscar Borchards … ‘Sapo has improved its processes in a short space of time.’ RAY SMUTS TENSIONS HAVE eased between the Cape Town Harbour Carriers’ Association and South African Port Operations’- run Mother City container terminal, although not yet at a ‘kiss and make up’ stage. The cap exploded off the bottle last month when CTHCA chairperson Alison Muller lambasted the terminal (FTW September 9, 2005) for its uncompromising stance in resolving many problems, including the unilateral decision by Sapo to close the terminal to container traffic between 22:00 and 06:00. She maintained at the time that transporters were dependent on swift turnabout times, simply a no-no at the terminal, and that Sapo management should carry the can for this dilemma. Container terminal business unit manager Oscar Borchards chose to respond in his own time, claiming it made no sense to keep the terminal open overnight, given that only 15 containers on average – about 3% of total traffic – previously passed through the terminal after dark. The approach between the Cape Town Harbour Carriers’ Association and Sapo would now seem to be more conciliatory. (Muller Steel Hauliers is a significant terminal customer.) “There was a bit of a mess last week because of transhipments. Sapo did not have enough room and the computer ran out of space so they were manually trying to put containers into slots but there has definitely been a marked overall improvement. They are far more hands-on in terms of staff,” said Muller “We are now in the low season but I sent them a letter the other day about taking on too much work in the form of transhipments which does not help exporters or importers,” she said. What is likely to happen when the Northern Cape (Upington) export grape season gets underway is anybody’s guess. “That kicks in Week 48 and we as a company are going to pick up around the 100TEU a week reefer equivalent - what producers expect to be a bumper season.” As to how it is likely to pan out from a container terminal perspective, Muller says: “I am not sure, with it being closed between 22:00 and 06:00. “Importers are probably the fly in the ointment at the moment. They work from Monday to Friday and will not take a box after 14:00 on Fridays, besides which they will not use the time (if the terminal were to remain open between 22:00 and 06:00.) “Sometimes a vessel comes in on a Thursday night and if we cannot get the box to the importer by Friday morning, we have no other chance.” Oscar Borchards, business unit manager at the container terminal, says meetings will be set up with various exporters following Muller’s disclosures “to explain how we can improve processes.” He believes, nevertheless, that Sapo has improved its processes in the short space of time, with more flexibility and greater integration of planning between carriers and the Transnet subsidiary. “What is coming to the fore more and more is that we need to work together. It cannot happen in isolation, otherwise the whole process falls down.”
