TPT box ruling debate resolved

Transnet Port Terminals and the Durban Harbour Carriers’ Association have resolved the debate about “box doors at the back” (FTW September 7, 2012). This followed a TPT demand that box doors face the rear of truck trailers in order to improve truck turnaround time. But this didn’t necessarily suit hauliers who – if the boxes exceeded 26 tons in mass – wanted the box doors to face forward. The reason for this is that the main weight of the heavy box would be over the axle grouping with the highest permissible mass. Facing back, the truckers might well be driving illegally overweight on the trailer’s rear axle. “The agreement we’ve reached,” said DHCA chairman Kevin Martin, “is that any box up to 26 tons will go doors facing rearward, and those over that weight ‘as best transport practice’ – in other words, we can go with doors facing forward if need be.