Vessel delays put port health inspectors under pressure

Port health officials are under severe pressure in the Western Cape with inspections having increased significantly in light of the ebola outbreak in West Africa. At least three f lights a day from West Africa have to be monitored and every passenger on board evaluated before they enter the country. The Cape’s Port Liaison Forum (PLF) recently heard that this was compounded by delays of vessels, which inspectors are also tasked with assessing. “Port health is responsible for both incoming vessels and airplanes,” said a spokesman for the PLF. “With the decision by authorities that all f lights from West Africa have to be monitored far more closely, manpower is limited.” While the port has also instituted strict safety measures to limit the risk of ebola spreading into the country, health inspectors are finding themselves arriving at the port to inspect vessels that have yet to arrive. This is placing further pressure on their already limited resources. “It is possibly ref lecting the experience of many port users,” said an attendee at the forum. “It does make the argument that there is a need for a central reporting system of sorts where real time information around the arrival and departure of vessels can be made available to users – including officials such as port health. It will allow for better planning all round and no-one would have to drive out to the port only to find the vessel is only arriving 24 hours later.” Developing such a system, however, would not be easy. It is also not on the cards at present. According to a spokesman for Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), anyone wanting to know the status of a vessel is best advised to call port control for an update. “It is just not feasible for the port authority to be sending out notices every ten minutes on the status of vessels,” she said. INSERT Health inspectors are finding themselves arriving at the port to inspect vessels that have yet to arrive, placing further pressure on resources.