TPT promises return to pre-Navis productivity

Although Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) last week celebrated what it described as “a milestone” in its ambitious plan of normalising operations, port users at the meeting at the Durban container terminal (DCT) Pier 2 were less than convinced by the grand presentation. According to TPT container sector acting-COO, Velile Dube, the intention was to bring the operations up to similar levels to those experienced prior to the Navis system launch – while at the same time admitting that productivity levels had dropped 17% after the implementation of the new system. His plan also included accelerated capital expenditure (Capex), an increase in gangs to a total of 15 by next year and improving the reefer capacity to make the DCT into “an efficient and competitive business”. The first statement, that a level “similar” to the pre-Navis days was the target, met with derision from a shipping line executive. “We were told that the new system would vastly improve on the old Cosmos system,” he told FTW. “Now we are led to understand that we’re only going to achieve the same performance from this expensive new system. Crazy.” Dube’s presentation suggested that he was convinced that the latest plan would achieve an improvement in the current poor truck turnaround times and ease bottlenecks in the handling of containers at the terminal. As part of TPT’s 2011 accelerated capex plan, 28 straddle carriers were purchased for DCT at an estimated total cost of R205 million, including 14 straddles with a twin-lift capability. “Today we commissioned four of these straddles,” said DCT terminal executive, Hector Danisa, “and intend to complete the assembly of the second batch of eight straddles by end-October. The delivery of the remainder will be rolled out until December.” The new straddles are “four-high” machines, meaning they can stack up to four containers high in a stack, and will add to stack capacity of the terminal. The addition of the 28 straddles will also enable the terminal to improve its productivity levels considerably over the next year, Danisa added. Current plans are to have a total of 113 straddles in operation by January 2012. TPT also unveiled a new refrigerated container (reefer) yard – with the addition of 232 container slots, and a development costing R9m. Ultimately the new yard will have a capacity of 1 068 reefers, designed to allow the terminal to meet customer expectations during the next reefer season. To handle the equipment, TPT recruited 70 trainee operators of lifting equipment (OLE) in July, and put them through a certification process in September. 68 of the OLEs were released to operations last week. Danisa added that the preadvice system was being rolled out in phases from this month (October).