Durban Container Terminals Pier 2 Increases Handling Pace to Clear Backlog
The Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 has increased the ship working hours at some of its berths in the past few days in order clear the backlog of vessels at anchor. Over three consecutive days, berth 204 has been performing above the set ship working hour target across all three shifts, handling up to 28% more volume than planned by Sunday.
“As we move things around, eliminate waste and employ diversion strategies for cargo to be serviced at our other Durban terminals while we finalise and conclude the awarding of contracts for spares and maintenance, our employees have been catalysts in the clearing of vessels as they witness mounting frustration from the country,” according to Managing Executive at the Durban Terminals, Earle Peters.
He added that while equipment and weather still presented challenges, employee commitment has made all the difference. “In a situation like this, it’s really not about what you have but what you do with what you have. And for our employees to find their role in this complex challenge has been extraordinary,” he said.
There are currently 52 vessels at the Port of Durban’s outer anchorage and a total of 18 vessels are destined for the Durban Container Terminals (DCT) Pier 2, with 24 431 import containers.
It is important to emphasise that not all the vessels anchored outside the Port of Durban are destined for the Durban Container Terminals. A number of them are destined for privately-owned facilities, and it is therefore incorrect to interpret the total number of offshore vessels as an indication of the specific congestion at DCT Pier 2. This needs to be borne in mind in any assessment of the congestion at Transnet Port Terminals facilities.
According to current plans and set targets in line with available equipment, it would take Pier 2 about 14 weeks to clear the backlog. However, there were many parallel efforts aimed at reducing this time. Peters said, through the help of one of the customers, the Durban Multipurpose Terminal took delivery of three reach stackers last week. This is significant because some of the container vessels destined for DCT Pier 2 are diverted to the terminal. In the meantime, DCT Pier 2 would continue sourcing additional cargo handling equipment from customers and the market at large as a temporary measure in the interim.
The awarding of the spares and maintenance services contract for the existing equipment, namely ship to shore cranes, rubber tyred gantry cranes, straddle carriers, reach stackers and empty container handlers is also in the process of award, with delivery of service expected soon. A 24-hour maintenance regime has also begun to secure the availability and reliability of existing equipment.
The implementation of the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) strategy for the acquisition of container handling equipment over the next 10 years and the asset life cycle management over the next 20 years has been finalised. Letters of award will be issued in the next three weeks soon.
Transnet Port Terminals manages a network of 16 sea-cargo and 3 inland terminals nationally, and besides the Durban Container Terminals and the Richards Bay Bulk Terminal, the other nine sea-cargo terminals remained fluid.
“We are making steady progress in dealing with the congestion and would like to assure our customers – and the public in general – that we are fully focused on ensuring minimum disruption to festive season supply lines for imported products, and in ensuring improved access for export products too,” said Peters.
