Warning on opening of Portnet terminal informs the uninformed

A LOT of people were unaware of the impending open gates policy at Portnet container terminals.
That's a main message flowing from a recent challenge by the Kwa Zulu Natal Association of Freight Forwarders (KNAFF) against what it termed unfair practices by the Portnet cartage section - as it touted for exclusive contracts with cargo owners prior to open-up date.
We wanted to warn people of the situation, said Paul Rayner, chairman of the harbour carriers section of KNAFF - talking about the original article in FTW (March 13, 1998). A result of the article was feedback from various people - transporters, importers and exporters, and clearing and forwarding agents. All of them looking for information on the whole open gates issue.
The information that FTW carried was obviously valuable in alerting people - a lot of whom were unaware of the pending opening of the gates.
In the meantime - with this latest challenge from road transporters and an appeal court case judgement due soon - Rayner expresses himself unsure as to how far Portnet thinking has moved along the open gates policy path.
He professes that the committee originally formed (including public and private sector members) has now been deluged in sub-committees. We have heard nothing from Portnet recently on any moves towards that situation, Rayner said.
But, he told FTW, he expects little to happen until the decision from the appeal court - expected about July.