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- Transnet has said it will increase ship working hours and helicopter service hours to clear the ongoing backlog at the Durban Port.
- Currently, the backlog will take up to 14 weeks to clear.
- Transnet has said it has made progress in clearing ongoing congestion at the port.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
With thousands of containers outside its Durban port, Transnet has said it would ramp up operations to clear ongoing backlog and reduce delays.
Fifty-two vessels are anchored outside the port. A total of 18 vessels and 24 431 containers are destined for the Pier 2 terminal, according to Transnet.
READ | Transnet clamps down on trucks in bid to ease Richards Bay congestion crisis
With its current plans and available equipment at the port, it would take 14 weeks, or just over three months, to clear the ongoing backlog.
In a recent statement, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) said ship working hours had been increased in recent days in a bid to clear the backlogs, with berths handling 28% more volume compared to last week.
Helicopter service hours at the port will also increase from 12 to 24 hours this Saturday, as part of a container recovery plan at the port. The initiative's goal is quicker vessel turnaround time, fewer delays, and improved vessel navigation.
Transnet's managing executive at the Durban Terminals, Earle Peters, said: "[Transnet is] making steady progress in dealing with the congestion and would like to assure our customers – and the public in general – that we are fully focused on ensuring minimum disruption to festive season supply lines for imported products, and in ensuring improved access for export products too."
Transnet, which has a R50 billion backlog in port and railway infrastructure nationwide, has previously said it would invest in maintenance and new equipment, but this would only begin arriving next year. This includes shore cranes and straddle carriers, which will arrive in October 2024 and February 2025, respectively, for Pier 2.
Pier 2 has posed significant problems for cargo owners, with the time needed to clear cargo at anchorage currently sitting at 13 days, according to the latest statistics from South African Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) on Thursday. The average time of anchorage for container vessels at the pier is 247 hours or 10 days.
Ongoing delays at SA's ports have also impacted retailers, with PEP and Ackermans owner Pepkor recently confirming that it had R700 million worth of goods stuck at sea.
