Durban Port Functional After Flood Devastation
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…
Transnet to Cut Transport of Non-Essential Cargo During Lockdown
South Africa's logistics firm Transnet said it would reduce transport services and non-essential cargo operations during a nationwide lockdown that began at midnight on Thursday to contain the coronavirus.The state-owned company said shipments of metals and minerals would depend on demand and government approval. It was unclear if these exports would be affected.The transport of coal to state-run utility Eskom's power stations would continue, Transnet said.Transnet operates nearly three quarters of the African rail network…
Go-slow at Port Hits South African Car and Commodity Exports
A go-slow by workers at a major South African port is hitting exports of cars and other commodities, the country's Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday.State-owned rail operator Transnet said it had suspended a number of employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal for engaging in what it said was an illegal industrial action."We are getting reports of a go-slow at some of our ports which is beginning to (have an) impact on the export of vehicles from South Africa in particular but perhaps other commodities as well," Gordhan, whose portfolio includes Transnet, said.Carmakers including Ford, BMW and Nissan have invested billions of dollars to upgrade assembly plants and boost exports from Africa's top automotive hub.The action was also beginning to hit other sectors…
India Issues New Guidelines for Investment in Ports
India's Ministry of Shipping has undertaken a diverse set of initiatives as part of its drive to boost profitability across major Indian ports.One major initiative is to improve the returns earned on treasury investments by the ports for pension, provident and surplus funds. Across all major ports, these funds add up to around INR 33,000 crore (USD 4.8 billion), yielding interest of around INR 2,700 crore (USD 394 million)Looking for ways to push this amount further, the Ministry has realized an opportunity to improve returns by INR 150 crore (USD 22 million) or more through a strategic shift in its guidelines for provident and surplus funds.As per the most recent guidelines…
South Africa Minister Delays Signing Energy Deals
South Africa's newly appointed energy minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has postponed the signing of agreements between state-run power utility Eskom and renewable energy Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Business Report newspaper said on Tuesday. South Africa is diversifying its energy mix away from an over-reliance on coal-power plants to include greener wind and solar projects. The deadline for signing was on Tuesday, but Kubayi's office asked for the signing to be delayed until she had met with public enterprises minister Lynne Brown, who oversees Eskom, the newspaper said. "The process is in their hands. Once they have met and they have agreed on this and that, then we as Eskom we will sign," Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe told Reuters.
Milestone for Cape Town Container Terminal Expansion
South Africa’s state-owned freight transport and logistics giant Transnet Limited today celebrated a significant milestone in its R5.4 billion expansion of the Cape Town Container Terminal. On completion, the five-year project will double the terminal’s capacity to 1, 4 million TEUs per annum. Speaking at a ceremony attended by Public Enterprises Minister, Mr Malusi Gigaba, Group Chief Executive, Mr Brian Molefe, announced the company had completed major dredging, deepening and refurbishment work at Berth 602, the second of four berths to undergo such upgrades.
Wholesale Port Sell-Off Not An Option
South Africa said it would not go for the wholesale sell-off of ports as they were regarded as strategic assets. Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe said that the government had developed a ports policy to be released early next year. "Government does not envisage a wholesale privatization of ports. Instead, private operators will have a role in South African parts by way of concessions and public-private partnerships," said Radebe. South Africa has embarked on a process to accelerate the restructuring and partial privatization of state-owned assets -- focusing on defense group Denel, transport parastatal Transnet, telecommunications group Telkom and power utility Eskom.
IAPH Slated For South Africa in 2003
South Africa's port authority Portnet has been chosen to host the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) global conference in April 2003. The hosting of the conference in the Indian Ocean port city of Durban between April 5-11 will be the first time the gathering takes place in Africa, Minister of Public Enterprises Jeff Radebe said. Durban is Africa's busiest port and is southern Africa's largest conduit for containerized cargo.
