Transnet Port Terminals says its ready for citrus exports
State-owned Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) says it has started handling citrus exports at the Durban and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) container terminals for the season.
The season posed many challenges for South African farmers and, to this end, the container terminals will be open over a 24-hour period and have dedicated lanes prioritising refrigerated containers at the gates.
Operators of lifting equipment are currently undergoing a multiskilling process that will enable them to obtain multiple machine licences in order to create flexibility ahead of the peak season in July, it adds.
National berthing plans are to be updated daily and shared with industry, in order to avoid excessive open stack days where vessels are delayed in other terminals. Additionally, the repairing and maintenance of plug points and lighting has been concluded.
“A terminal’s demand is a derived demand service, in which we only grow when the industries we support grow. As such, we endeavour to provide value to our customers, so that we can celebrate their success,” says TPT commercial and planning GM Michelle van Buren Schele.
Improving efficiency was key to a prosperous citrus season, and Transnet had robust programmes in place aimed at improving equipment availability and reliability throughout the season, she stated.
Further, TPT handled 3.7% more citrus exports in 2022 than in 2021, despite the KwaZulu-Natal floods and new European Union (EU) regulations. In total, TPT moved 128 374 forty-foot equivalent units across its container terminals.
This year, Transnet Port Terminals is looking to continue on this trajectory and create avenues for further growth.
South Africa, among the top suppliers of citrus in the world, has battled with rising operational costs and disruptions, as well as the EU's cold treatment regulations, which were imposed on South African fruit in July.
Despite these challenges, the country has continued to increase its fruit exports, TPT states.
Comments
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation