Which SA port has received what in TPT’s R2billion investment in equipment?

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) has acquired a variety of operational equipment for its seven ports in a R2 billion investment for the current financial year.

Equipment is at the centre of loading and unloading goods off a vessel in TPT operations which are around the clock and covers four major sectors namely containers, automotive, bulk and breakbulk cargo.

The morale of TPT employees is also expected to be positively affected as they have been forced to work with aging equipment.

The latest batch includes 15 haulers for the Durban Multipurpose Terminal (MPT) and Ngqura Container Terminal (NCT), each receiving seven and eight haulers respectively.

The Cape Town and Durban Container terminals also recently took delivery of six rubber–tyred gantry cranes, four and two respectively.

All purchases form part of the company’s response to industry calls for the replacement of aging equipment which hampered service delivery.

With a fortified maintenance strategy in place, the acquisition of the assets is supported by plans to ensure equipment is available and reliable to service operations around the clock.

The boost in equipment also makes provision for running scheduled maintenance without any impact to running operations.

While most terminals will be receiving replacement equipment, the acquisitions are also aimed at creating capacity that will enable each terminal to handle an overflow of cargo from another – this way improving the service offering to the industry.

To date, the Port Elizabeth Container Terminal has taken delivery of two mobile harbour cranes in April.

The Cape Town Container Terminal also took delivery of four straddle carriers in April.

The Durban Container Terminals Pier 2 received 15 of 23 straddle carriers in April and August, with the balance arriving before the end of September.

Durban MPT now boasts two additional empty container handlers and seven reach stackers for container handling.

List of acquired equipment:

• Cape Town Container Terminal – 4 rubber – tyred gantry cranes
• Durban Container Terminal – 2 rubber–tyred gantry cranes and 15 straddle cranes
• Port Elizabeth Container Terminal – 2 mobile harbour cranes
• Durban Multi-purpose Terminal – 2 empty container handlers, 7 reach stackers and 7 haulers
• Ngqura Container Terminal – 8 haulers