Western Cape realigns terminal business

The realignment of operations at ports in the Western Cape has led to the consolidation of the Port of Cape Town’s container and multipurpose terminals as well as the iron ore and multi-purpose terminals (MPT) in Saldanha. According to Velile Dube, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) general manager for the Western Cape region, the amalgamation of the terminals that came into effect on April 1 is aimed at lifting the struggling MPT business. “Notwithstanding all our efforts to reignite our MPT business, we have continued to post losses for the last three financial years. It is now time that we take a hard look at this business and respond responsibly to the real challenges that confront it,” Dube told FTW. “The realignment of our business is targeted at consolidating the gains we have made in improved operational performance despite the difficult economic conditions confronting the South African economy and the industries we are serving. It also positions our best leaders to work on the specific needs of each of our customers and will provide a platform for further consolidation of our cost base and exploit existing synergies ever present in our operation.” Earlier this year Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) general manager for strategy, Nico Walters, told FTW that Transnet’s bulk and breakbulk terminals across the country were at least 40% down on budget and that this was a situation not expected to change in the near future. Walters said this was a concern for TNPA, referring to the terminal performance agreements signed with operators upon the issuing of terminal licences. He intimated then that the answer lay in putting struggling terminals to use for commodities doing well, which is exactly what TPT has done. At the Port of Cape Town the decision was taken to merge the MPT with the well-performing container terminal (CTCT). The merged terminals will now be known as the Cape Town Terminals (CTT) and will be headed up by Brenda Magqwaka, formerly the terminal manager for CTCT. Robert Van Rooyen, the former MPT terminal manager, has been appointed terminal manager for what will now be the Saldanha Terminals, which are the merged Iron Ore terminal (IOT) and MPT terminals at the Port of Saldanha. Dube said Adil Rodgers, formerly the terminal manager of the IOT, had been appointed as regional maintenance, asset and projects manager. “This is a newly created position in light of the anticipated increase in capex spend during the next two to three years at the two ports. We believe that this new position puts us on a much stronger platform to take care of the new equipment and buildings, which is what Rodgers has been tasked with.” According to Dube, the new operating structure will enable TPT to grow in the Western Cape. “We believe it will facilitate quality customer service by increasingly providing a common supply chain for containers and bulk products in between our terminals. We also believe that it will put a much sharper focus on our loss-making entities.” INSERT & CAPTION Amalgamation of the terminals aimed at lifting the struggling MPT business. – Velile Dube