Operational gains boost Cape Town port’s performance

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JIMMY MOYAHA: The Transnet National Ports Authority [TNPA], particularly the Port of Cape Town, has noted some significant improvements in operational performance. We’re going to look at this in a bit more detail with the acting port manager for the Port of Cape Town at TNPA.

Ophelia Shabane joins me on the line to see what we make of this. Ophelia, lovely having you on the show. Thanks so much for taking the time.

What were some of the challenges that the Port of Cape Town has had to contend with up to this point? I know weather was a rather bizarre but serious challenge from an operational standpoint. What were some of the other challenges that the port is having to contend with thus far?

OPHELIA SHABANE: Good evening, Jimmy, and thank you so much for the opportunity and for having me online today. I think, as we’ve highlighted quite well, weather has been a serious [challenge] in the port of Cape Town, specifically around very strong winds in the summer months – which is also the time that we’re very busy, because that’s the peak of our fruit-export season.

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In the past we’ve also battled with equipment challenges that really affected the equipment … availability in order for us to be able to handle the vessels.

I think more than anything, it had an impact on our performance areas, specifically the efficiencies.

One of the greatest things or one of the good stories out of the Port of Cape Town is that we’ve been significantly able to improve our ship turnaround time, meaning the time that it takes specifically for container vessels to come into the port, to work their cargo, and be able to exit.

I think in the past two to three years – from 2023 all the way up to 2024 – we’ve been able to reduce the ship turnaround time by a considerable 28%.

That means vessels are staying for a shorter period in the port as they continue to work cargo.

JIMMY MOYAHA: Thanks, Ophelia. What are some of the challenges that persist? I can imagine it’s not a perfect science to run a port with some of the challenges that are beyond your control. Those that might be within your control you might be able to do something about.

Currently, as it stands, I believe nine out of the 11 terminals are privately operated. What are some of the challenges that you currently are still facing, and how is the team looking to approach them?

OPHELIA SHABANE: If we had to sum it up, specifically when you look at maybe the most important season in the Port of Cape Town, which is really our deciduous season in the summer months, wind still comes at the top of our list.

I think if you just look at the stats in September and November, I those two months ranked up over 330 hours lost per month owing to wind.

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So I think wind has been a really, a big challenge for the port, and that’s why we’ve partnered up with scientific institutions such as the CSIR which are doing really, really good work – specifically in developing an early predictive model for the Port of Cape Town, which is a system that is actually one of a kind in South Africa and has really assisted us in being able to plan our cargo, and actually even be able to know when we can expect really strong gusts of wind and be ready and better prepared for them. I think that has been the greatest.

I think more than anything, some of the equipment challenges that we used to have in the past have been considerably addressed by Transnet.

And specifically when you look at our container terminal, we’ve seen some great investments in equipment – like an equipment injection strategy, which has been very successful. That is seeing new equipment such as RPGs (rubber-tyred gantries) and haulers being procured for the ports.

That has really assisted quite a lot in ensuring that the equipment is available to service the shipping lines as and when they call at the Port of Cape Town now.

JIMMY MOYAHA: Ophelia, can we look at what the strategic improvements then mean for the Port of Cape Town going forward? Obviously, reducing downtime is going to continue to be a priority, I’d imagine, and improving operational efficiencies also becomes an avenue of building a bit of resilience within the port.

If we are to look at the port sustainability and the port’s efforts to expand and increase what it does for stakeholders, where do we go from here with these improvements and keep up the momentum?

OPHELIA SHABANE: That’s a good question. I think even when you look at some of our key strategies, they are obviously to ensure that we allow for more private-partner participation in the port of Cape Town.

Specifically as the TNPA, and specifically in the Port of Cape Town, among the key things that I think our stakeholders can really look forward to are two concessions that will soon be coming out, which means we’re advertising and looking for requests for proposal for a multi-purpose terminal, which is quite strategic in the Port of Cape Town in terms of breakbulk, dry bulk as well as container handling facilities.

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And I think more than anything we are also going to be going out looking for requests for proposal for a floating dock, because even the ship-repair activities are a very big part of what we do in Cape Town as a key economic driver and a job-creation space specifically for the Western Cape.

So those are some of … the two areas.

Most of it just speaks to us being very intentional, as well, about our operational performance and improvement plans – which have shown over the past years to be quite successful as we’ve been able to grow volumes every year.

Whether it’s containers, whether it’s breakbulk and whether it’s liquid bulk, I think we’ve been able, year on year, to move more cargo over the quay.

And most importantly, we’ve also been able to reduce the long time that vessels spend [in the port], meaning that our terminal operators are becoming more efficient in what they’re doing – obviously with a lot of assistance from TNPA, meaning that even from a vessel side we are today reducing marine services to their true minimum, and that we are always prioritising cargo vessels when they call at the Port of Cape Town.

JIMMY MOYAHA: Consistency and improvements where necessary – that is how we continue to move forward, especially in the port sector, where we know logistics are paramount to being able to contribute towards the economy.

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We’ll leave the conversation on that note. Acting port manager for the Port of Cape Town at Transnet Ports Authority, Ophelia Shabane, joined us to look at the improvements out of that port and where it is that that port is headed.