Truck booking system to be piloted at DCT

Next month will see the launch of a truck booking system at Durban Container Terminal as port management pulls out all the stops to minimise delays. “Under the new appointment system,” Hector Danisa, DCT terminal executive told FTW, “transporters will schedule their container collections or drop-offs via the Navis terminal operating system. They will then be allocated a time-slot of about one and a half hours within which to arrive at the terminal. This will enable TPT and transport companies to deploy resources more efficiently and effectively, and could also minimise truck congestion on Bayhead Road.” The truck appointment system will be piloted at DCT Pier 2 from June. This, Danisa added, will improve the scheduling of road cargo and general productivity in the logistics chain. “It will initially be tested with four trucking companies, and could be extended thereafter,” he said. Danisa told FTW that DCT Pier 2’s container handling had improved beyond pre- Navis launch levels. “But,” he added, “the challenge now is to build sustainable processes to ensure continued performance and to make DCT competitive at international norms.”