Wind and strike action hit CT port productivity

RAY SMUTS
A DOUBLE whammy - in the form of wind and strike action - has hit the Cape Town container terminal at the height of the Western Cape deciduous export season.
A howling weekend south-easter vented its anger for a full three days at the beginning of the month, causing berthing delays in excess of 40 hours in certain instances.
Among the vessels hamstrung by the weather were Safmarine Tugela (delayed 48 hours), MSC Kerry (47,5 hours), and Pon Olinda (40,2 hours).
Two other vessels, Kindia and LT Trieste, suffered respective delays of 38 and 43 hours before cargo discharging could commence.
Just as Sapo was about to start working away average delays of 33 hours on February 9, it was served notice by the SA Transport & Allied Workers’ Union of a strike to commence the following day.
One third of the 530-member work force, covering the entire spectrum from crane drivers to working gangs and straddle carrier operators, stayed away for a full two days until 06:00 on Thursday once settlement had been reached between the parties.
Acting container terminal manager Oscar Borchards is loathe to dwell on the reason for the strike save to say the dispute was “internal” and had nothing to do with wage issues.
The upshot of both wind and strike is that productivity dropped by 30% over six days, average per crane moves down to 12 from 17 to 18 .
At least two vessels, Bunga Mas 10 and City of Stuttgart, were delayed for 19,5 hours and 16,8 hours respectively due to the strike.
Receiving priority was the build-up of containers at the rail area which included 51 TEU and FEU of BMW knock-downs destined for the Rosslyn plant in Gauteng.
Borchards admits Sapo is not entirely blameless and that certain issues are being addressed within, but stresses the port operation cannot be held solely responsible for productivity.
He says certain lines are slow in submitting essential information such as restow data.