Durban Container Terminals Meet Customer Expectation

The Durban Container Terminals (DCT) Pier 1 and Pier 2 achieved over 90% compliance in contractual agreements with shipping lines calling the port for the month of February 2023. Truck turnaround time also averaged 55 minutes at Pier 1 and 66 minutes at Pier 2 in the same period.

In an effort to reduce the backlogs following the strike action last year October, the terminals had operated as a single precinct to encourage vessel diversion between the terminals. They further partnered with customers in negotiating vessel call sizes during the recovery period which took a total of two months, despite an initial estimation of six months.

Managing Executive at the Durban Terminals Earle Peters said, “Three of the four weeks in February saw Pier 2 achieve 100% compliance in customer agreements and it’s showing how the collaboration with industry is yielding results”. The terminals were also employing the adjusted import storage rule allowing customers to collect their container as it is offloaded from the vessel and this ensured yard fluidity.

Peters added that the partnership the terminals enjoyed with four transport logistics associations representing over 300 trucking companies was fundamental in clearing congestion as quickly as the terminals did in the immediate weeks after the strike. “It’s been encouraging to hear our customers complement the teams and sharing emails of gratitude – and we’d like to sustain this momentum for the new financial year” he said.