Durban Port News

Staff shortages caused by an ongoing strike over wages are impacting container and car terminals at South Africa's Durban port, one of the busiest on the continent, a unit of state-owned logistics company Transnet said on Tuesday.Transnet, which manages South Africa's freight rail network and ports, declared force majeure last week after its workers went on strike over a wage dispute.In an update on its website, Transnet Port Terminals said the strike had impacted waterside and landside operations at its Durban port…

South Africa's major port of Durban, where operations were disrupted by severe flooding last week, is now functional and a backlog of thousands of containers will be cleared within five to six days, the public enterprises minister said on Tuesday.The floods caused extensive damage to roads leading to Durban port, one of the busiest shipping terminals in Africa and a key hub for exports like metals and agricultural commodities and imports like fuel.Scientists believe the southeastern…

South Africa's state-owned logistics firm Transnet suspended its Durban port operations from 1930 local time on Monday due to heavy rains that have damaged the roads into the port, a key hub for shipping containers and metals such as copper.In a statement on Tuesday, Transnet said shipping has been suspended until further notice as a result of damage caused by the adverse weather, and vessels on berth are on standby.Customers were requested to "hold back" on bringing their trucks into the port…

South Africa's Durban port has suffered major disruption after days of unrest, and operations have also been badly affected at the Richards Bay port and on a national freight rail line, logistics and freight companies said on Wednesday.The violence erupted last week in KwaZulu-Natal province, where Durban is located, after the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma but it has rapidly escalated in widespread looting and destruction in several other provinces.Durban has one of the busiest shipping terminals on the African continent…

South Africa's ports remain open to all types of cargo despite a nationwide 21-day lockdown though essential goods should be prioritized, the Department of Transport said in a notice."(The) government has now decided that in the interest of ensuring a functional supply chain across all ports, that all cargoes will be accepted for loading and off-loading," said the notice, which was dated March 31.That reversed instructions sent by port authorities to bulk terminals last week saying…

CMA CGM announced the port coverage improvement of its SAMWAF service connecting Brazil and Plata area to West Africa and South Africa strategic markets, in the effort to continue enhancing its product.   As from February 16th, 2018 with m/v GERHARD SCHULTE, the lead product SAMWAF service operated with 6 vessels up to 3,800 TEU.   SAMWAF will call the port of Itajai, Brazil on a weekly basis, in replacement of Navegantes. Argentina and Uruguay ports will be served on relay via Itajai   New rotation: Itajai - Paranagua - Santos - Rio de Janeiro - Cape Town - Durban - Port Elizabeth - Luanda - Pointe Noire - Itajai

A group of seafarers are stuck in the port of Durban, South Africa after their vessel was detained for non-payment of wages. The multinational crew working aboard tug/supply ship PSD2 had not been paid for as long as 15 months and were in need of food and fresh water. Two crew members were also in need of immediate medical attention while all of them desperately needed money to send home to their families. Seafarer’s charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) and chaplains from other organizations in Durban provided assistance to the ship’s crew.

Transnet National Port Authority women flew the flag high at the Women in Transport Awards which took place at the Durban ICC on 18 October 2016. The Women in Transport Awards is a collaborative platform co-located with the African Ports Evolution conference and exhibition, and is dedicated to recognising excellence within the rail and maritime industry in Africa. The prestigious awards ceremony was attended by a number of decision makers, business leaders and various stakeholders from the transport and maritime industry, with Deputy Minister of Transport Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga delivering the keynote address. TNPA’s Sylvia Siyo, who is an acting Ship Repair Manager in the Port of Durban, walked away with the Best Head of Department in Transport award.

The 35-meter-long, 900-ton outer caisson at the Port of Durban’s Prince Edward Graving Dock has now been commissioned after being refurbished at a cost of R30 million. This was the third and final phase of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) comprehensive repair program on the structure which was deemed unsafe and in need of repair. Work involved structural repairs to the first of two steel lock gates that separate the dock into two compartments and seal off water from the harbor to enable repairs and maintenance work to be carried out on ships serviced at the facility.

A delay in private repairs to the hospital ship Africa Mercy has caused a two-and-a-half week adjustment of timelines for Transnet National Ports Authority’s R30 million repair project at the Prince Edward Graving Dry Dock in Durban. The facility was due to be nonoperational for two months over August and September. However private ship repair company, Dormac Marine and Engineering, discovered additional work was required on the Africa Mercy’s shaft during a routine repair and survey exercise at the TNPA-owned dry dock.

The 90-yer-old Prince Edward Graving Dry Dock in Durban, which is owned and operated by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), will be undergoing a R30 million ($2.4 million USD) repair project on its outer caisson over the next four months. This is the third and final phase of a repair program on the structure, which was deemed unsafe and in need of repair due to the dry dock’s age and general need for maintenance. Earlier this month, TNPA appointed Durban-based engineering…

Transnet National Port’s Authority’s R1.4 billion contract to produce nine powerful tugboats is progressing on time and within budget at the Southern African Shipyards premises in Durban. “This is a milestone project that reinforces the capacity and skill of South Africa and indeed Durban when it comes to competing in the global shipbuilding industry,” said TNPA program manager Eugene Rappetti, Senior Manager for Marine Operations. “Despite the challenges of energy disruptions…

Eastern Pacific Shipping reports that an incident involving its managed vessel m.t. Pacific Quartz took place off Durban in South Africa Friday morning. While proceeding into the port, with a port pilot on board, the vessel touched bottom in way of No. 6 starboard water ballast tank. There is no oil spill. All personnel on board are safe and the vessel has safely anchored. The vessel is laden with a cargo of 34,821 metric tonnes of High Speed Diesel. The company has activated its emergency response team and senior personnel from our Singapore headquarters are now on the way to the vessel. Eastern Pacific Shipping reports that it is taking…

Hamburg Süd will offer a new service from South Africa to Argentina and Brazil (SABR Service) in cooperation with Nile Dutch. The new fixed-day fortnightly service will provide shippers with a regular and reliable westbound link from South Africa to South America with connections to Europe and North America. The new service rotation will be: Durban – Port Elizabeth – Buenos Aires – Rio Grande – Itajai – Santos – Rio de Janeiro. Further destinations in South America, North America and Europe will be offered in transhipment. The first westbound call at Durban will be with Buxfavourite on July 21, 2013. In the opposite direction to the…

In view of continuous challenging trading conditions effective from July 2013 CMA CGM, Maersk Line, Hamburg Süd, CSAV, China Shipping Container Lines and Hanjin will restructure their services between the Far East and South America East Coast by launching three new joint services. -ASAS 2/NGX 2/SEAS 2/ASAX 2: Currently operated by Maersk Line, Hamburg Süd, CSAV, CMA CGM and China Shipping Container Lines. -SEAS 1/ASAX 1: Currently operated by CSAV, CMA CGM and China Shipping Container Lines. -ASAS 1/NGX 1: Currently operated by Maersk Line and Hamburg Süd.

Durban's Wabona Group was among the winners in one of the nine award categories, during a Maritime Industry Awards function held on April 28, 2013 in Cape Town. The event, held to celebrate contributions to the South African Maritime Industry, was a culmination of a nationwide nomination process. Wabona Group was awarded a Maritime Newcomer accolade at the 2012/2013 Maritime Industry Awards, Organized by Colleen Jacka of Maritime Review Africa. The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)…

CMA CGM announced the reshuffling of its services on the ASIA-South Africa and Mozambique trades in partnership with Maersk Line (ML). •    New SHAKA2: A service jointly operated by CMA CGM and Maersk Line with 8 vessels of 6,500Teus. The rotation includes: Shanghai, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Louis, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Ngqura, Port Louis, Singapore, Nansha New Port. •    New MOZEX2: A service jointly operated by CMA CGM and MAERSK Line with 7 vessels of 2,200Teus. The rotation will include Tanjung Pelepas, Port Kelang, Pointe Des Galets, Toamasina, Maputo, Beira, Nacala, Port Louis. These two new services will replace the current Shaka and Mozex services operated by CMA CGM.

CMA CGM Group is pleased to announce the launching of a new service linking Asia, Indian Ocean Islands and South Africa, effective May 8th, 2011. Called Shaka Express, this new weekly service will deploy 6 vessels between 4500 and 6500 TEU, and will allow CMA CGM to meet the growing market demand of South Africa, as over 30% of the country’s trade is with Asia. The service rotation will be as follows: Fuzhou, Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Port Louis, Durban, Port Elizabeth (Ngqura), Port Louis, Singapore and back to Fuzhou.

Maersk Line reported that its ships would join Safmarine and MSC on the express service between South Africa and the U.S. The express service deploys seven vessels on a fixed weekly service between Durban, Port Elizabeth and Capetown in South Africa and Newark, Baltimore, North Charleston in the eastern United States, it said in a statement.

Mersey Docks and Harbor Co. is investing 8.8 million pounds in the South African Capespan Group's fruit terminals. Mersey Docks -- Britain's second largest port group -- said it was buying half the equity in Capespan's terminal operations at the ports of Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Maputo in Mozambique. "Mersey Docks will gain from being actively involved in the export of all South African fresh produce, not just to the UK through the port of Sheerness but to all corners of the globe," Mersey Docks chief executive Peter Jones said. Mersey Docks and Capespan have already collaborated on a 35 million pound fresh produce terminal opened in Sheerness in 1999. - (Reuters)

Grindrod and LCL announced their intention of joining forces in sea and land based perishable logistics in Southern Africa. The newly formed company LCL Grindrod Pty Ltd will operate with effect from January 2006 on condition that all regulatory requirements are met. LCL Grindrod will be based in Cape Town with offices in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Komatipoort and Maputo. The company is expected to handle about 150 000 pallets of fruit to destinations mainly in Europe, North America and the Far East during 2006.

Hlubi Mzamo, new port manager of the Port of Richards Bay, did not expect to find himself at the helm of the port with the largest cargo volumes in South Africa when, he joined the National Ports Authority (NPA), as marine operations manager in Cape Town, 18 months ago. Mzamo had just settled down with his family in the Mother City, when the NPA, landlord and regulator of South African ports, informed him that he was being promoted to an even more responsible position. From sitting in his office, which overlooks the valuable Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), he modestly concedes that although the promotion was wholly unexpected, he is encouraged that his continuous hard work as marine operations manager was rewarded so quickly.

Vessel and container handling delays spurred by fears over Y2K bug glitches are still hobbling operations at South Africa's Durban port, a senior shipping official said. "There are still some delays being experienced, but we're not yet in a crisis situation," Peter Masemola, operations manager at the Indian Ocean port, said. He said it is taking up to 14 hours for cargo vessels to turn around due to an increased influx of goods coming in and leaving through the port - Africa's busiest harbor. Normally it takes nine hours for vessels to be handled, he said. "From what's happening it seems people are getting their stocks in and out ahead of time. Some feel there might be problems with the suppliers, and others don't want to get into trouble with their customers," Masemola said.