April 1 will mark a milestone for Transnet Freight Rail when preparations begin at City Deep terminal for the arrival of the first new crane since containerisation was launched in 1977. Three new cranes have been ordered – the first of which will be delivered in March/April next year – with the third arriving in September. That’s the good news. The bad news is that construction work to prepare for the arrival of the new equipment will result in a loss of handling capacity at the terminal. “There’s no gain without pain,” says TFR’s executive manager container & automotive operations, Frans Seloane. “We will lose capacity during the construction phase at City Deep as half of the terminal’s loading and off-loading space will not be available, but we have plans to address shortfalls. And by doing so we are able to shorten the construction period necessary to prepare for the arrival of the new equipment. “The original plan was to bring in three cranes over three years. But by cutting down the programme by two years and giving up the additional space, we’ve been able to escalate their arrival, which is good news in the long run.” Contingency plans are in place to address the problems of restricted space and any other operational disruptions, says Seloane Sayed Mohamad ... ‘Clearing cargo at CHC warehouse in Pomona.’ At the Kaserne Container Terminal, TFR has already invested R20m in a new slab. Work will be completed by the end of this month and the upgraded facility will be up and running by the beginning of May. The new cranes are just part of the upgrade plan at City Deep. “We will be doing a complete revamp from ground stack to cranes to equipment, including the gate and security. The business case has been approved and now it’s a question of cash flow.”
