Transnet on Tuesday announced that it handled more than 200 000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in a single financial year at the Durban Multipurpose Terminal (MPT) for 2024/2025.

This record target, which exceeded the target of 131 106 TEUs for the financial year, underscored the organisation's commitment to enhancing trade capacity and efficiency, driven by a combination of increased trade volumes, improved operational capabilities, and strategic resource allocation.

The previous volume record at the terminal was in the 2020/2021 financial year, with 182 198 TEUs.

Jabu Mdaki, managing executive of Transnet Port Terminals, said that this is a momentous milestone for Transnet given the challenges experienced in 2023.

“We had a crisis in Durban, and we faced challenges of vessel backlog and truck congestion. We would also like to thank the shipping lines for their buy-in. They allowed us to divert some of the columns to the MPT, and that allowed us to reduce congestion,” Mdaki said.

“We believe in collaboration. When we faced the vessel backlog at the beginning of 2024, we sent out a communication to shipping lines about where they could assist us with equipment. As if to go elsewhere to look, it would have taken up to 24 months for the equipment to be delivered.”

Mdaki said they were also expediting a process to acquire more harbour cranes.

“Our Capital team is working to replace mobile harbour cranes at MPT. We can place the order in a short period of time for it to be delivered. We do this with the confidence that we have the support of shipping lines in this case.”

Earle Peters, managing executive at the Durban Terminals, said that the Durban MPT had assisted in handling the overflow of containers to ensure fluidity.

“The terminal had taken delivery of four reach stackers. The Durban MPT was instrumental in the execution of the strategy to clear the backlog of vessels at anchorage in 2024 from 20 to zero,” Peters said.

“In pursuit of recovery, the business has set aside R3.4 billion to acquire equipment across its network of 16 sea-cargo terminals with the intention to offer improved efficiency and superior service to its customers and industry. Recent equipment investments in Durban include 20 straddle carriers for the DCT Pier 2 Terminal and nine rubber-tyred gantry cranes for the DCT Pier 1 Terminal.”

Captain Salvatore Sarno, chairman of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), said the milestone had been a great help to the main container terminal.

“Your hard work has helped us shipping lines to spend less time at anchorage and has helped especially the South African customers, importers, and exporters to get their cargo at least one week earlier than when it was scheduled,” Sarno said.

“There is a port smaller than the Port of Durban in Europe that achieved over 400 000 boxes, and I believe that mobile cranes can be used at the Port of Durban and here at MPT and can achieve even more than 200 000 TEUs.”

BUSINESS REPORT