Recent disruptions at the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) have highlighted ongoing inefficiencies affecting high-tech greenhouse growers relying on timely shipments. Extreme winds between late February and early March, surpassing the operational threshold, halted cargo movement, with twelve vessels waiting at anchor and over 200 operational hours lost. This led to two weeks' worth of apple shipments arriving simultaneously in various markets, causing logistical bottlenecks and price fluctuations.
Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, noted, "The situation presents a major challenge for us. The delays in cargo handling have created a ripple effect, impacting container availability, trucking operations, and ultimately, market access." The disruptions have made securing empty containers increasingly difficult, with trucking schedules affected as pickups and deliveries face delays at the port or depots. Exporters are forced to adjust schedules, often missing key market windows.
Productivity levels at the port remain below international standards. "As a Western Cape-based export-driven company, we are highly dependent on the port of Cape Town," Roelf explains. The cost of transporting goods to other ports like Durban or Gqeberha is prohibitive, adding up to $3 per carton (R55). Current productivity indicators, such as gross crane movements per hour (GCH), average around 15, far below the global benchmark of 26 to 30 GCH.
Roelf advocates for private sector involvement as a long-term solution, stressing the urgency of addressing these logistical challenges as export volumes are expected to increase.
Source: Cape Business News