The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal has moved 5 700 export vehicles in a single vessel.

This is the highest volume ever moved through the terminal, and surpasses the previous record of 4 500 export units moved in a single vessel, set in September 2019.

Transnet Port Terminals Eastern Cape managing executive Wandisa Vazi credits close cooperation with customers, as well as on-the-ball planning, for “a seamless transaction” that placed significant emphasis on sorting vehicles before the MV Silver Ray, destined for Europe, arrived.

She adds that the operational team at the terminal consistently achieved a weekly average of 200 units moved an hour over the last few weeks – an 11% improvement on the key performance indicator target of 180 units moved an hour.

Expansion Project
The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal is in the middle of an expansion project that will create an additional 3 000 parking bays by the end of September, bringing the overall terminal capacity to 8 000 vehicles.

This jump will increase throughput at the Port Elizabeth Car Terminal from 150 000 units a year to 280 000 units a year.

“We have been resourceful in carrying out the project, with our own employees within the facilities department carrying out the work to both manage costs and also ensure on-time completion,” says Vazi.

Transnet notes that there has been increased demand for South African vehicle exports since the start of the year.

“Overall automotive-sector recovery from Covid-19 has been evident at all the country’s terminals, across both import and export streams,” notes the State-owned entity.

The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal moves Isuzu, Volkswagen, Ford Motor Company, Audi, Porsche and Bentley vehicles, as well as Caterpillar machinery.

The expansion project at the terminal will mostly cater for increased Ranger exports from Ford’s Silverton plant, in Pretoria, with commercial production of the new bakkie set to start in the fourth quarter of the year.

The Port Elizabeth Car Terminal forms part of a network of 19 Transnet port terminals.