EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS |
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN |
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Haulers, by contrast, offer quicker and safer container transfers across the terminal ' s expansive layout.
Empties are managed separately in topup stacks, where they can be stacked up to three high using straddle carriers. Since South Africa experiences a trade imbalance, more containers leave the country empty than full. Strategic collaboration with shipping lines ensures efficient repatriation of these containers to origin ports.
The port is also working with exporters to fill containers with value-added commodities. However, dangerous goods like manganese cannot be loaded into reefers, posing a further limitation in leveraging all available container types.
NORTH QUAY: PREMIER BERTH AND EXPANSION PLANS
The North Quay, considered the port ' s premier berth, is equipped with tandem twinlift ship-to-shore cranes, capable of lifting up to four 40ft containers simultaneously. This quay services high-volume carriers such as MSC and CMA CGM operating on Far East trade routes.
Currently, the quay accommodates vessels up to 12.8m draft, but plans are underway to deepen it to 16.5m, allowing the berth to host larger, fully laden vessels. This major infrastructural enhancement includes:
• Deepening and lengthening the quay wall
• Driving pylons 16 – 18m deep for structural support
• Extending the quay 20m outward
The modernisation project is expected to span four to five years, with transitional disruptions such as reduced stacking capacity and berthing slots during construction.
The port operates a comprehensive power grid to support the thousands of reefers in operation. Cables run
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underground to provide consistent power, while temperature monitoring is conducted every two hours by technicians using handheld devices. Any deviation from protocol triggers alerts to shipping lines, who must dispatch service managers for resolution.
A reefer storage fee of approximately R1 000 is charged for 2 – 3 days of terminal storage before containers are picked up.
The port ' s vulnerability to severe weather was underscored during a storm in October 2017, which caused vessels to break moorings and severely damaged infrastructure, including a major operations building at the North Quay. Rather than restoring the damaged structures, Transnet has opted to leave the area unoccupied as they prepare for the quay’ s expansion.
One of the more operationally complex areas of the port lies at the intersection of Pier 1, Pier 2 and the South Quay, where crane conflicts restrict simultaneous operations. For safety and efficiency, only one vessel can be handled at the South Quay at a time, whereas two can be handled on Pier 1.
Pier 1 is notably different in that it utilises rubber tyre gantries( RTGs) instead of straddle carriers. These wider machines allow for a different layout and stacking configuration, adding diversity to the port’ s operational strategies.
VESSEL TURNAROUND AND CRANE PRODUCTIVITY
On average, a large vessel involves 3 000 to 5 000 container interchanges, and it typically takes about two days to complete. The port aims for a Gross Crane Move Rate( GCMR) of 30 moves per hour, though it currently operates between 20 – 22, with room for improvement.
Efficiency is affected by several factors, including planning lags, container availability
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Rubber tyre gantry.
under cranes and environmental conditions. Operators, seated in elevated cabs above the cranes, require precision and significant training to manage container movement without damage.
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Many cranes, particularly on the South and East sides, are over 20 years old and suffer from declining reliability. While new cranes have been introduced and will eventually be deployed across different terminals, |