TPT targets transhipment growth

Transnet Port Terminals has set its sights on growing its transshipment business, TPT chief executive Karl Socikwa told FTW recently. “But in this market space you are at the mercy of shipping lines – and they will only bring the volumes if we offer the value. It is therefore incumbent upon us to make our terminals more attractive than other terminals in the rest of the world so that our ports are the obvious choice for transhipments.” He said that was why the collaborative approach on which Transnet as a whole had embarked – that would see more private public partnership – was so important. “We can only do so much with our balance sheet. We need to work together with the private sector to make our ports and our terminals the best.” He said with the Port of Ngqura having been positioned as the country’s transhipment hub it was now one of the fastest-growing ports in the world. “Shipping lines are increasingly deploying vessels to this port and we must take advantage of these opportunities. The investment made in Ngqura must pay off and that means grabbing as much cargo for the East and West coast of Africa as possible and then seeing it transhipped in smaller vessels.” INSERT & CAPTION It is incumbent upon us to make our terminals more attractive than other terminals in the rest of the world. – Karl Socikwa