Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Categories
    • Categories
    • Africa
    • Air Freight
    • BEE
    • Border Beat
    • COVID-19
    • Crime
    • Customs
    • Domestic
    • Duty Calls
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy/Fuel
    • Events
    • Freight & Trading Weekly
    • Imports and Exports
    • Infrastructure
    • International
    • Logistics
    • Other
    • People
    • Road/Rail Freight
    • Sea Freight
    • Skills & Training
    • Social Development
    • Sustainability
    • Technology
    • Trade/Investment
    • Webinars
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
    • Editorial Guidelines
Africa
Logistics
Other

Transnet to declare force majeure

27 Jul 2021 - by Eugene Goddard
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

While Transnet still finds itself in the midst of a cyber breach that left its Navis system initially inoperative, while it is still largely shut down, the state-owned logistics company has issued a confidential notice to customers informing them of its decision to declare force majeure.

The leaked statement, which was issued by the chief executive of Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), Velile Dube, specifically relates to container terminal operations at the ports of Durban, Ngqura, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, and goes into extensive detail about why the parastatal has decided to classify last Thursday’s breach as an unforeseen event.

The statement says it “serves as notice of declaration of (sic) Force Majeure event, which occurred on 22 July (…) and continues to persist, when Transnet, including TPT, experienced an act of cyberattack, security intrusion and sabotage, which resulted in the disruption of TPT normal processes and functions or the destruction or damage of equipment or information.”

Of concern is that the statement appears to contradict an earlier announcement, issued last Friday, in which Transnet said it had “identified and isolated the source of the disruption to its IT system” (see story: https://tinyurl.com/p5m3224e).

At the time it added that “technical teams are continuing to work around the clock to ensure that the impact remains minimal”.

The report led several freight forwarding and road freight interests to enquire who the “identified and isolated source is” – in vain.

Transnet, unsurprisingly, failed to disclose any further detail about knowing who was responsible for the cyberattack.

All Dube said in yesterday’s statement was that “investigators are currently determining the exact source of the cause of compromise and extent of the ICT data security breach”.

Importantly, it’s worthwhile considering that the statement issued to the media says that the source of the breach has been identified. The other, issued as a confidential notice, says that investigators are still at it.

Needless to say, private sector interests, jittery from the recent insurrectionist violence on the logistics sector in KwaZulu-Natal, are on tenterhooks about what’s going on.

With business concerns none the wiser as to the source of the breach, questions remain about what’s going on at the country’s ports and railways, and when operations will revert from manual contingencies to digital processing.

In the meantime reports are filtering through that Navis is going to remain hobbled by the hack until this coming Friday.

 

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.
Subscribe to receive print copies of Freight News Features to your door.

Global air cargo demand rises

Air Freight
Logistics

But some trade lanes have experienced a decline despite increased capacity.

24 minutes ago
0 Comments

Drivers targeted in latest cross-border scam at Kasumbalesa

Logistics
Road/Rail Freight

The Copperbelt’s most important border has been flagged for another scam aimed at fleecing truck drivers.

1 hour ago
0 Comments

SA ports switch gear, record improved performance figures

Logistics

Latest data by the CMU heralded concurrent increases of 13% and 2% above target, said Saaff.

2 hours ago
0 Comments

Unitrans scoops global safety award

Logistics

The company beat about 18 000 contractors in 35 countries to clinch the top accolade.

Today 09:30
0 Comments

Transnet creates youth opportunities

Logistics
Skills & Training

The company has invested 6% of its total procurement spend in youth-owned business over the past year.

Today 09:15
0 Comments

Transnet invites bids for Ngqura liquid bulk terminal

Logistics
Sea Freight

The development will include storage tanks, road tanker loading gantries and pipelines.

Today 08:30
0 Comments

Arrest of Molefe and others welcomed, but long-overdue – Saftu

Africa
Economy

The workers at UCW in Nigel – a local manufacturer with proven capacity – were the primary victims, Saftu said in a statement following the arrests.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Sharp increase in box losses at sea

Logistics
Sea Freight

A recurrence of last year’s losses off the Cape of Good Hope has not yet been observed in 2025.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Lack of rail interoperability stymies progress

Road/Rail Freight

“The AU has called for an integrated transport sector with world-class infrastructure that crisscrosses the continent." – Mesela Nhlapo, CEO, Aria.

Yesterday
0 Comments

DRC-Rwandan peace accord bodes well for Lobito Corridor

Logistics

The DRC and Rwanda have lapsed into a recurring internecine struggle in the Lake Kivu area.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Is the writing on the wall for the North-South Corridor?

Infrastructure
Road/Rail Freight

The switch from Beitbridge to the route via Botswana has exposed glaring infrastructural issues.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Shipping alliances and MSC dominate over 80% of container market

Logistics

Alliances offer operational efficiencies, but there are concerns about service quality, competition, and freight rate volatility.

Yesterday
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

Road & Rail 27 June 2025

Border Beat

Forum tightens net against border corruption
25 Jun 2025
Police clamp down on cross-border crime
17 Jun 2025
Zim's anti-smuggling measures delay legitimate freight operations
06 Jun 2025
More

Poll

Has South Africa's ports turned the corner?

Featured Jobs

New

Sea Export Controller (In-house)

Tiger Recruitment
East Rand
30 Jun
New

Export Controller

Lee Botti & Associates
Durban
30 Jun
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us