Cape Town is in a critical phase of upgrading its port infrastructure to accommodate a substantial increase in fruit exports.
The city’s ports, already grappling with congestion issues, are now facing the added challenge of a bumper fruit crop.
As per TimesLive, this surge in exports requires an expanded capacity in both vessels and port infrastructure to efficiently handle the peak export season, slated to begin early next year.
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Congestion is exacerbated by the city’s notorious wind conditions, which frequently halt container movements, and a lack of operational rubber tyre gantries (RTGs), which are critical for moving containers within the port.
To address this, efforts are being made to extend working hours and increase nighttime operations.
Terry Gale, the chair of Exports Club Western Cape, has announced the acquisition of seven second-hand RTGs from the US, set to be operational on 1 December.
This addition brings the total number of operational RTGs at the port to 25-30, the number deemed necessary to efficiently manage the expected container traffic.
The port also depends on nine ship-to-shore gantries (STSs) for unloading containers from vessels. After resolving operational issues with two of these gantries, all eight are now fully operational, eliminating berthing delays. This enhancement in port operations is timely, as the city is poised to benefit from a recent shipping route change.
Cargo bound for Cape Town will now be trans-shipped in Mauritius, bypassing lengthy stopovers in Durban and streamlining the import process.
Despite these improvements, concerns about the forthcoming January/February fruit export season remain. Approximately 55% of agricultural exports originate from the Western Cape, necessitating further expansion in port capacity.
To address these challenges, business stakeholders have initiated urgent discussions with port authorities, focusing on infrastructure and efficiency improvements.
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The Western Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry is spearheading an initiative for a Western Cape Logistics Cluster to avert a crisis similar to Durban’s, where a container bottleneck has led to severe delays.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has criticised Transnet for its lacklustre investment in the port, emphasising the need for enhanced logistics to boost exports and job creation. He has vowed to pressure the national government to prioritise the port’s development.
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