FTW1058SD
FREIGHT & TRADING WEEKLY
The Freight Community’s Weekly Newspaper for Import / Export decision makers – on subscription
FRIDAY 8 May 2009 NO. 1861
Coega count-down on track BY Ed Richardson With just five months to the opening of the port of Ngqura, it’s all systems go for the August/September testing process before its October ‘go-live’ date. That’s the word from Siyabulela Mhlaluka, Transnet Port Terminals’ divisional executive manager for the container sector.
“We are now at a very critical stage in this project but have every reason to be highly confident,” he told FTW. “Our most significant progress – as far as worldclass equipment is concerned – includes the assembly and commissioning of twelve rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) and four Megamax ship-to-shore cranes to date.
Two additional ship-to-shores scheduled for delivery in May or June will complete the fleet of six such cranes, while the remainder of the 22 RTGs will be delivered as the programme progresses further,” he said. To be appointed are around 33 driver articulated vehicle operators, as well as cargo controllers, first line managers and supervisors, a SHEQ
manager, and support services and administration staff. He says most of the terminal’s infrastructure is in place, final recruitment and training programmes are now in high gear, and Transnet is talking to its customers. Transnet has invested over R10-billion to date to develop the facility as a highperformance terminal. “We already have our core
operations staff and 11 expert planners who will be responsible for vessel planning, berth planning, rail planning, traffic control and stack planning,” said Mhlaluka. The 60 000 hectare Ngqura container terminal will open with a capacity of 800 000 TEUs, but by its end state will boast a capacity of two million TEUs.
Mission accomplished The first of four containerloads of educational items collected by volunteers in the UK arrived in Cape Town recently aboard the Safmarine Nomazwe. It’s part of a joint effort by UK charity SchoolAid whose mission is to provide practical support to schools and other educational establishments in underprivileged areas
of Africa. Capespan, in conjunction with Maersk Line and other logistics partners, co-ordinates the free collection, containerisation and shipment of the goods. The pallets of reading and reference books, stationery, art supplies, school chairs and cricket equipment will be distributed to schools in the Cape and Gauteng.
Pictured in Cape Town recently are some of the beneficiaries of the first container-load of books and educational items collected by volunteers in the UK and shipped to South Africa.
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