Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Transnet News

02 Oct 2023

Thungela Says Coal Terminal Workers' Strike Not Impacting Exports

Illustration - Credit; Ossewa/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Thungela Resources, South Africa's largest shipper of thermal coal burned in power stations, said its shipments of the fuel have not been impacted by a workers' strike at the country's key coal export hub. Workers at Richards Bay Coal Terminal, which is owned by coal exporters including Thungela, Exxaro Resources, Glencore, and Seriti, have been on a strike for the past three weeks. A two-week strike at South Africa's state-owned ports and rail company Transnet last year hit coal shipments…

19 May 2023

South Africa Grants Turkey's Karpowership Deal to Ease Power Crisis

©IzzetNoyan/AdobeStock

South Africa has granted Turkey's Karpowership access to the three ports of Ngqura, Durban and Saldanha Bay for a period of 20 years, the transport ministry said on Thursday, as it tries to find solutions to the country's power crisis.Karpowership aims to generate power on its floating gas ships and distribute it through South Africa's electricity grid. The plan received a boost from President Cyril Ramaphosa last week after he told lawmakers the ships would help ease the prolonged…

19 Oct 2022

Transnet Agrees Wage Deal with Majority Labor Union

© petert2 / Adobe Stock

South African state-owned logistics firm Transnet said on Monday it had agreed a three-year wage deal with the union representing the majority of its workers, ending a two-week strike that had hit commodities exports and piled up millions in losses."Transnet and the company's majority union United Transport and Allied Trade Union (UNTU) reached a three-year wage agreement today," it said in a statement, adding the deal would bring most of its employees back to work.UNTU members…

13 Oct 2022

Transnet Strike Costing Miners $44 Million a Day

(Photo: Transnet)

South African miners are losing 815 million rand ($44 million) in export revenue per day due to an ongoing strike at state-owned logistics firm Transnet which has hit commodity exports, an industry body said on Thursday.Transnet's freight rail and port workers earlier said they had rejected a revised pay offer and vowed to continue the strike which started a week ago.The Minerals Council of South Africa said major mineral export harbors were currently operating at between 12% and 30% of their daily averages due to the strike.

31 Oct 2022

South Africa's Busiest Port Durban Hobbled by Strike

© michaeljung / Adobe Stock

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…

10 Oct 2022

Baltic Index Falls on Dip in Larger Vessels

Credit: cloudvisual/AdobeStock

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell on Monday, pressured by a dip in the Capesize and Panamax vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for Capesize, Panamax, and supramax shipping vessels, was down 17 points, or 0.9%, at 1,944.The capesize index lost 55 points, or 2.3%, at 2,341.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as coal and steel-making ingredient iron ore used in construction, was down $456 at $19,418.

07 Oct 2022

Steady Demand Propels Baltic Dry Index to Weekly Gains

© Volodymyr Kyrylyuk / Adobe Stock

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell on Friday pressured by a dip in the capesize segment, but posted a weekly rise powered by overall gains across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, fell 31 points, or about 1.6%, to 1,961.It posted a weekly gain of 11.4%, gaining for five out of the last six weeks.The capesize index lost 110 points, or about 4.4%, at 2,396, but notched up a 23% weekly gain.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal,

19 Apr 2022

Durban Port Functional After Flood Devastation

© Charles Baker / Adobe Stock

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…

12 Apr 2022

Transnet Suspends Durban Port Operations Due to Floods

© lcswart / Adobe Stock

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…

27 Jul 2021

Cyber Attack: Force Majeure at Port Terminals in South Africa to be Lifted 'Soon'

Cape Town port - Credit ChrisAdobeStock

South African freight logistic firm Transnet said on Tuesday the force majeure communicated by its port terminals to customers would be "lifted soon" after progress was made in restoring its IT systems following a cyber attack.Transnet said terminals are berthing vessels as planned and are facilitating loading and discharge operations with the shipping lines."Some applications may continue to run slowly over the next few days, while monitoring continues. All operating systems will be brought back in a staggered manner, to minimize further risks and interruptions," Transnet said in a statement.

26 Jul 2021

South Africa's Transnet Identifies Source of IT Disruption that Hit Container Terminals

Cape Town port - Credit: Chris/AdobeStock

South Africa's state-owned firm Transnet said on Friday it had identified and isolated the source of disruption to its IT systems that impacted its container terminals.The freight logistics firm was hit by a suspected cyber attack, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.Transnet, which operates major ports and a huge railway network, said it was prioritising the export of reefer containers, used mainly to transport perishable cargo at a controlled temperature, primarily through the port of Durban as this was the peak of the citrus season.Miner Barrick Gold s

22 Jul 2021

Cyber Attack Disrupts Operations at South African Port

Cape Town port - Credit: Chris/AdobeStock

A cyber attack has disrupted container operations at the South African port of Cape Town, an email seen by Reuters on Thursday said.Durban, the busiest shipping terminal in sub-Saharan Africa, was also affected, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.Cape Town Harbour Carriers Association said in an email to members, seen by Reuters: "Please note that the port operating systems have been cyber-attacked and there will be no movement of cargo until the system is restored."Transnet's official website was down on Thursday showing an error message.Transnet…

14 Jul 2021

Violence Disrupts Shipping at the Port of Durban

© donvictori0 / Adobe Stock

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…

22 Jun 2021

S.Africa to Revamp Ailing Port System

© donvictori0 / Adobe Stock

South Africa's National Ports Authority (NPA) will operate as a stand alone business under the aegis of state-owned freight logistics group Transnet, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday, as the country tries to overhaul some of the world's worst-performing ports.A report last month ranking container ports by the World Bank and IHS Markit saw South Africa's major ports at the bottom of the list, with Durban faring the worst among local peers by coming in at 349 out of a total of 351 ports assessed globally.The Container Port Performance Index considered the total port hours per ship call,

26 Mar 2021

South African Navy’s New Patrol Vessel Launched

(Photo: Damen)

Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) on Thursday launched the first of three Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPV) procured by ARMSCOR for the South African Navy (SAN).The vessels will augment South Africa’s maritime security by enhancing the country’s capability to respond effectively, rapidly and cost-effectively to threats such as illegal trafficking and fishing.The more than 600-ton vessel was transported from the DSCT shipyard on the evening of March 23 to the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) synchrolift at the Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront Basin.

20 Oct 2020

Maersk Supports Maritime Education in South Africa

The maritime education baton held by Safmarine following its 25-year investment in the Lawhill Maritime Centre at Simon’s Town School, will pass onto Maersk as of 2021. (Photo: Maersk)

Lawhill provides secondary-school students in Grades 10 to 12 with a specialized education and knowledge that prepares them for entry into maritime and related industries. For more than two decades, the industry-funded program has greatly improved the post-school employment prospects of thousands of young South Africans, especially those from financially-disadvantaged backgrounds.A special event was held at Lawhill to commemorate the 25 year milestone and the retirement of long-standing maritime educators, Brian Ingpen and Captain Godfrey Schlemmer.

30 Jun 2020

CMA CGM to Impose Emergency Surcharge at Cape Town Port

© Tupungato / Adobe Stock

CMA CGM, the world's fourth-largest container shipping line, will impose emergency congestion surcharges at Cape Town port in July due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus, it has told customers.From July 1 until further notice, it will impose a surcharge of $550 for 20-foot containers and reefers and a $1,100 surcharge for 40-foot containers and reefers, CMA said in the letter dated June 17 that was seen by Reuters.Western Cape province, which includes Cape Town, is the epicenter of South Africa's coronavirus outbreak…

01 Apr 2020

South African Ports Remain Open Despite Lockdown

© lcswart / Adobe Stock

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…

27 Mar 2020

Transnet to Cut Transport of Non-Essential Cargo During Lockdown

© OscarDiMalva /Adobe Stock

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…

26 Mar 2020

More Bad News for Bulkers, as South African Ports Close for Mineral Exports

© banlai/AdobeStock

South Africa's main export terminals will be closed to mineral exports from midnight on Thursday when a nationwide 21-day lockdown over coronavirus begins, disrupting copper supply chains linking major producer Zambia to Asian consumers.Miners in the Zambian copper belt typically transport copper overland to South Africa's ports, where it is exported mainly to China, the world's biggest consumer of the metal."All bulk terminals (mineral mining commodities) will be closed," a note from Transnet Port Terminals read, according to a shipping agent.

19 Mar 2020

Cape Town Ships Cleared After Negative COVID-19 Tests

© HandmadePictures / Adobe Stock

Test results from the individuals suspected to be the first cases of COVID-19 in any South African seaport have all come back negative, Transnet National Ports Authority has confirmed.Earlier this week two vessels, the general cargo vessel MV Corona and the cruise ship AIDAmira, were held off port limits outside the Port of Cape Town. The cruise liner was later allowed to dock but its roughly 1,700 passengers and crew remained onboard pending test results from one suspected COVID-19 case and seven others who had possible contact with him.Captain Dennis Mqadi…

17 Mar 2020

South Africa Quarantines Two Ships

South Africa is holding the cruise liner MV AIDAmira and a cargo vessel off Cape Town after a crew member on board one of the ships showed signs of the coronavirus, national ports operator Transnet said on Tuesday.On Sunday President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster and implemented urgent measures including travel bans to fight the pandemic.As of Tuesday, 85 people in South Africa have tested positive for the coronavirus, up 23 from the previous day and including eight local transmissions, the health ministry said. The local transmissions include a 2-year-old boy.Countries around the world have barred cruise liners from entering their ports…

03 Jun 2020

Veecraft Marine to Build Tug Pair for TNPA

(Image: Veecraft Marine)

Veecraft Marine, subsidiary of Paramount Maritime, said it has been awarded a tender from Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to design and build two twin-screw, diesel powered workboats.The 100% South African-developed, 19.5-meter (LOA) vessels, manufactured with 60% local content, will feature a 7.25-meter beam, fixed-pitched propellers and twin rudders, offering 15-ton bollard pull (short tons-force).