Advanced technology further boosts productivity at EC port terminals

26th April 2013

By: Zandile Mavuso

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

  

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Technological advancements and new equipment have contributed to the consistent high productivity at the Ngqura Container Terminal (NCT), in the Eastern Cape, says State-owned freight and logistics group Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) Eastern Cape GM Siya Mhlaluka.

“At the end of last year, the NCT achieved 37.7 moves per gross crane hour (GCH), which is a 66% improvement on its container-handling rate since it opened in 2009. The NCT has been earmarked as a global transshipment hub and serves principally as a convenient transfer point for cargo destined for other regional ports,” he says.

Mhlaluka mentions that the terminal operates on the Navis N4 terminal operating system, which comprises an automated gate entry system and exit operations; a digital global position system, which is an automatic yard position detection system; and a remote method invocation, which is an automatic equipment fault-capturing and diagnosis system. These technological advancements contribute to the success of the terminal.

“The Eastern Cape has been a star performer in terms of operational performance at the Port Elizabeth Container Terminal (PECT) and the NCT. In the container sector alone, the handling norms of TPT’s Eastern Cape terminals have improved every year, showing that TPT’s various interventions are bearing fruit,” he points out.

These interventions include the port operator dealing with productivity challenges through staff programmes that encourage motivation and accountability. As part of capacity creation, the PECT took delivery of two used Impsa cranes from Durban on December 26 last year. The PECT achieved an average of 29 GCHs last year, which is a 27% improvement on its average performance during the same year.

“The Eastern Cape is poised to benefit from several multimillion-rand port investments over the next few years through government’s renewed focus on growing the regional economy. Transnet has started with Phase 2A of the NCT project, which involves expanding capacity from 800 000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) to 1.5-million TEUs. The NCT is also scheduled to bring in four ship-to-shore cranes, 18 rubber-tyred gantries and 48 haulers and trailers, as well as to upgrade staff facilities,” states Mhlaluka.

Technology advancement requires skills development and the NCT is conducting cross training to create a multiskilled workforce. It also aims to embark on training unemployed graduates on freight handling and port operations. The NCT is also funding students who face small-scale financial constraints.

Since its launch in 2009, the NCT has employed more than 400 operational staff and support service staff, who are divided into three shifts.

Berths at Port of Ngqura
Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA’s) NCT has built two new container berths, doubling its container ship capacity to four. The construction of the additional container berths is in line with TNPA’s market demand strategy (MDS) and fulfils its function of planning, providing, maintaining and improving port infrastructure to ensure the efficient and economic functioning of the ports.

The berths have been handed over to the terminal operator, TPT. The 16-m-deep berths each have a 300 m quayside, enabling the NCT to handle four container ships of up to 11 000 TEUs at any time, which will improve ship turnaround times. Stack capacity will increase from 800 000 TEUs to two-million TEUs.

Transnet Port Terminals
In an attempt to develop South Africa’s port terminals, Transnet has allocated R33-billion of its R300-billion MDS to South Africa’s ports.

TPT CEO Karl Socikwa explained into June last year that the bulk of TP’s spend – 71% of the R33-billion seven-year (2012–2019) investment pipeline – would be focused on expansion projects and creating capacity to meet projected demand. The remaining 29% would go towards capital sustaining projects aimed at achieving operating norms and upholding service delivery.

The Port of Richards Bay, in KwaZulu-Natal, is the latest Transnet terminal to benefit from the MDS investment as it has embarked on an equipment replacement programme. An old plant with ageing equipment, Richards Bay recently took delivery of a R140-million replacement ship loader for its commercial bulk exports and a R40-million crane for its bulk imports. About 21% of its R240-million mobile equipment has started arriving.

This includes reach stackers, forklifts of varying tonnages, bobcats and trailers. In July last year, this terminal received its R130-million pneumatic unloader, built by Swiss manufacturer Rio Tinto Alcan. This machine facilitates a homogeneous and dust-reduced material flow in the unloading of alumina and petcoke commodities.

“This investment in Richards Bay is evidence of TPT’s sound commitment to the terminal and will make a remarkable difference by enabling the plant to achieve improved operational efficiencies and deliver on customer expectations,” says Richards Bay Terminal manager Victor Mkhize.

Currently under construction at the terminal are the R615-million capacity creation projects for additional stockpiles, with one due for completion in July this year and the other fully operational in April 2015. Additionally, there are the R450-million weighbridges under construction due for completion in May, which will ease congestion and enable quicker turnaround of road trucks. Mkhize says improving capacity, equipment reliability and service delivery underpins the objectives of the MDS.

Modern equipment with the ability to service new-generation vessels places Richards Bay in a position to grow larger than its current size, with the advantage of a draft ranging from 14.5 m to 19 m on its berths. “Skills transfer opportunities have been created with original-equipment manufac- turers, where operators and technical teams are trained to achieve sustainable operations,” said Mkhize.

Similarly, the Durban Container Terminal’s (DCT’s) Pier 2 took delivery of a R700-million consignment of seven STS tandem lift cranes – the largest of their kind in the southern hemisphere – able to lift four TEU containers at a time. “The terminal has eagerly awaited the arrival of the cranes and being put to good use as soon as they are fully commissioned by the capital projects team,” terminal manager Hector Danisa says, adding that the cranes have been designed to take DCT into the next 20 years of the port’s predicted longevity and are capable of servicing the latest-generation container vessels with a span of 24 containers across the deck.

The MDS has major implications for TPT’s responsibility to facilitate unconstrained growth, unlock demand and create world-class port operations through improved efficiencies, concludes Socikwa.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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