Bad to worse for Transnet as ports rocked by storms – Hypertext

• Poor weather across South Africa this week has negatively impacted operations at Transnet port terminals in the Western and Eastern Capes.
• With a Level 8 weather warning for the Western Cape, three vessels were stuck at port with staff unable to operate due to heavy winds.
• Smooth import and export operations at Transnet’s ports are crucial for economic growth.

As if the South African ports authority Transnet didn’t have enough problems amid a historic debt and wide-spread efforts to rescue the business from bankruptcy, inclement weather facing the country’s coasts in the last week have made operations even more difficult.

“The strong winds, which have created high swell conditions, must subside before vessel movements can resume,” indicated the authority, adding that it would monitor operations cautiously as a spell of stormy weather moved across South Africa.

While people inland experienced cold fronts, the coasts felt the full brunt with the South African Weather Service issuing a Level 8 warning in the Western Cape due to disruptive rain this week.

More than 15 000 people were said to have been affected in the coastal province with widespread school closures due to storms this week, and three vessels were not able to begin working on Wednesday as heavy winds slowled operations to a crawl at the Cape Town Container Terminal.

Across the coast in Gqeberha, the Ngqura Container Terminal decided to not take any more new vessels after Sunday as the terminal was likewise dealing with heavy winds and a dangerous swell, meanwhile operations in Port Elizabeth were also halted by bad weather.

“The floods experienced in the Eastern Cape in June, along with current weather disruptions, have resulted in vessel congestion at the Port Elizabeth Bulk Terminal where manganese is handled. This has slowed down the progress. Despite this, vessel nominations continue,” said Transnet, which recently appointed a new COO, in a statement.

“[Transnet] is taking appropriate measures to ensure safety of life, protection of the environment and prevention of damage to property,” it added, per SA News.

Smooth import and export operations at Transnet’s ports are crucial for the country’s economy.

In May, then Western Cape MEC for Finance Mireille Wenger said that operational deficiencies Transnet was experiencing at Cape Town terminals might jeopardise the lucrative April to October citrus export season. This latest bout of inclement weather will likely not aid operations in the region.