Maritime industry stakeholders celebrated the significant progress made by Transnet in eliminating the backlog of vessels at anchorage in Durban, dropping the number from 20 to zero in 2024.

This achievement comes as a relief to shipping lines, importers, and exporters who have faced costly delays in trade due to port congestion

Managing Executive at the Durban Terminals, Earle Peters, made the announcement during Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) celebration of 200 000 TEUs at Durban Multipurpose Terminal (MPT) on Tuesday.

Peters said that this performance was testament to increased trade, an improving economy, and the terminal’s growing capabilities, supported by a dedicated workforce ensuring reliable cargo handling.

“Over the last five years, the terminal had taken delivery of four reach stackers. The Durban MPT was instrumental in the execution of the strategy to clear the backlog of vessels at anchorage in 2024 from 20 to zero,” Peters said.

Malcolm Hartwell, Norton Rose Fulbright director and master mariner, on Wednesday said this development was welcomed by shipping lines, importers, and exporters who, for years, have faced frustrating and expensive delays in getting containers in and out of Durban.

“The causes of those delays related partly to Transnet’s inefficiency and partly to its inability to quickly move containers by road and rail in and out of the port precinct,” Hartwell said.

“When ships are delayed, they obviously do not earn any revenue, and this development will have a significant effect on shipping lines’ costs to consumers.”

Hartwell said this will also help restore Durban’s reputation as the premier container handling port in Southern Africa and will hopefully stem the move of cargo to South Africa’s neighbouring countries.

However, Hartwell said it was not yet clear whether the clearing of the backlog has been helped by a decline in import and export volumes due to South Africa’s economy and the fact that much cargo was now flowing through Mozambique and Namibia in particular.

“Leaving that aside, however, it does suggest that Transnet is reaping the benefits of various initiatives designed to improve cargo handling efficiency and the movement of cargo into and out of Durban. This is definitely a move in the right direction which hopefully will continue to gain momentum,” he said.

Peter Besnard, CEO for the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa), said that during this congestion period, most vessels at anchorage were container vessels carrying Christmas stock, which is August to December each year.

Besnard said vessels worked at MPT carrying out their discharge, and when berth availability at DCT prevailed, the vessel would shift load and depart.

“This figure fluctuates daily and will impact on the berth nominated to discharge/load the cargo it is carrying, be it containers, bulk, liquid bulk, project cargo. At this point and time, heavily utilised berths are at DCT, NP-1, Maydon Wharf, and MPT,” he said.

Besnard said he believed that Transnet was headed in the right direction.

“With new handling equipment arriving for Durban Container Terminal by way of STS gantry cranes, straddle sarriers, and haulers, for NP-1 RTGs, and MPT mobile cranes and reach stackers. What we mustn’t lose sight of is that the downward slide started around 2015/16, during which there was no spending in the port for over 10 years, and now it’s catch-up time involving huge capex,” he said.

“In addition, Durban has recently introduced five new 70-ton bollard pull tugs to speed up the berthing service and will soon begin negotiating for new helicopters. Basically, all eight commercial ports are needing equipment.”

BUSINESS REPORT