Transporters become whipping boys in late deliveries

The breakdown in electronic communication between Durban’s New Pier and shipping lines is causing havoc for transporters waiting to pick up containers at the harbour, says Raj Maistry, CEO of JVC Freight Carriers. “We can only collect when the ships physically discharge the cargo. We have to go to the shipping line, pay and get a stamp so that when we collect at New Pier they can see that it has been approved and release the container. But when the transporter gets to the pier we find that the shipping line hasn’t signed the release through the system so we can’t load the trucks. “It is absolutely chaotic. We have to wait for ten to 12 hours at times as there is a very long queue. Local transporters stand there and burn fuel for hours on end while long-distance drivers can’t get their cargo to Johannesburg. As these drivers are paid by trip they lose money if they have to spend the time queuing instead of delivering the goods,” Maistry explains. He notes than even if they are informed that there isn’t a queue it usually just means on the road and not in the staging area. “It is an extremely congested area space-wise. Ships put down transhipment containers which get stuck in the area and create congestion.” In addition, when the depot doesn’t release cargo, the transporters become the whipping boys. They are charged when the cargo is delivered late and they are also charged if containers are damaged. “This isn’t fair as the shipping lines are not pro-active in communicating any problems, like full depots – and transporters don’t even handle the containers when they are on- or off-loaded as we do not have the equipment,” says Maistry.