PORTS, TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR NEWS ROUND-UP, 10/2020 (8 – 19 JUNE 2020)
In light of the rapid pace of infrastructure and transport developments across Africa, our Ports, Transport and Logistics (PTL) Sector Group is pleased to present Bowmans’ latest PTL news round-up. Our regular round-ups bring you a selection of pan-African PTL-related stories and keep you up to date regarding developments in the space across Africa.
We draw on a network of multi-disciplinary experts across Africa in fields as diverse as project finance, construction and environmental law, to keep you in the know about developments and thought leadership in the PTL space.
The articles to which we refer readers are, unless stated otherwise, neither written nor edited by ourselves and appear in their original form. Bowmans does not necessarily agree with opinions expressed in those articles.
This edition includes news headlines and links to articles from a variety of sources, covering stories from Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
For Coronavirus (Covid-19) related updates from South Africa…
Please see Bowmans’ dedicated ports and shipping web page for details of Covid-19 related regulatory changes, directions and updates in South Africa since 16 March. We also have a page dedicated to aviation regulatory changes, directions and updates.
Africa Ports provides statistics and commentary on the effect of Covid-19 on cargo volumes and ships calling at South African ports for the months of March, April and May 2020 respectively, including a comparison with the figures for the same months in 2019.
Other news continues below…
Tech helps Port of Durban to address bottlenecks (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (19 June 2020)
The Port of Durban has harnessed the power of technology to keep communication lines open with its customers during the Covid-19 lockdown – and it’s helping to address bottlenecks as the port navigates this challenging period. Read the full article here. Also reported in Creamer Media’s Engineering News here and here.
Transnet meets industry to address delays at the Port of Cape Town (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (19 June 2020)
Freight News has heard from a reliable source who ships containers out of Cape Town that Transnet yesterday morning held a virtual meeting with freight industry representatives for about two hours. Read the full article here.
SAAFF director steps into breach for Transnet about port delays (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (18 June 2020)
Officials managing the Port of Cape Town are doing all they can to improve efficiencies and stem the tide of ships queueing outside Table Bay waiting for berthing slots at terminals affected by the coronavirus and its impact on human resources. Read the full article here.
Communication around Port of CT to be improved (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (18 June 2020)
Ocean freight concerns are still waiting for confirmation from port officials about an initiative that will establish better communication between the likes of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) regarding delays experienced in the Port of Cape Town (see "Late Development" footnote). Read the full article here.
Walvis Bay acquires its own bunker barge service (Namibia)
Source: Africa Ports (18 June 2020)
The Port of Walvis Bay on the long Namibian coast continues to punch above its own weight. The port which recently opened a new state-of-the art container terminal that is providing impetus to the port’s status as a regional hub serving significant parts of Central Africa, has now acquired its own bunkering service. Read the full article here. Also reported by Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW here and in Creamer Media’s Engineering News here.
New Konecranes reach stacker for APM Terminals Port Elizabeth (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (18 June 2020)
APM Terminals has taken delivery of a new Konecranes reach stacker at its Port Elizabeth inland terminal. Read the full article here.
Devastating decline in road freight – and still falling (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (18 June 2020)
Economists have expressed grave concern over the steep decline in road freight volumes amidst the global Covid-19 pandemic. Read the full article here.
Offtakers increasing prepayment enables bulk shipping for Premier’s Namibian mine (Namibia)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (18 June 2020)
London-listed Premier African Minerals’ 19%-owned subsidiary MN Holdings has advised that the offtake partners of the Otjozondu project are reviewing an existing uncommitted credit facility to increase prepayment for manganese ore from the project. Read the full article here.
Transnet Management embrace Lifestyle Audit process (South Africa)
Source: Transnet (18 June 2020)
Transnet SOC Ltd has instituted a process of lifestyle audits for its employees, as part of its efforts to ensure high standards of ethics and integrity. Read the full media statement here.
Coronavirus impacting on African agricultural exports (International)
Source: Africa Ports (17 June 2020)
Africa faces serious losses in crop exports as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, forecasts consultancy firm McKinsey. Read the full article here.
Also reported by Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW here.
Air cargo spiked by 62% as Covid demand drove PPE volumes (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (15 June 2020)
The need for drastically elevated levels of equipment required to combat and curb the spread of Covid-19 pushed up air freight throughput at OR Tambo International Airport by 62%, reports have revealed. Read the full article here.
DoT unveils plans for new auto terminal at Durban, branch line concessioning (South Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (12 June 2020)
The Department of Transport (DoT) intends to take over the functioning of struggling integrated public transport networks (IPTNs) in five cities, with six cities currently operating these systems, says Department of Transport director-general Alec Moemi. Read the full article here.
Durban Car Terminal shatters record in a consecutive run (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (12 June 2020)
The Durban Car Terminal has broken its handling record for two years running, with exports and transshipments playing a key role in the latest run. Read the full article here.
Round-the-clock clearing at Chirundu doubles north-bound processing (Zimbabwe and Zambia)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (12 June 2020)
Figures for the processing of north-bound road freight at Chirundu during a week-long testing period of the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia show that round-the-clock cargo clearing has doubled the volume of trucks going through.
Read the full article here.
Lockdown level 3 lifts re-introduction of air freight (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (12 June 2020)
Airlink Cargo had recorded a busy first week of strong demand from South African domestic freight interests after resuming flights on Monday, said the company’s executive manager of the cargo division, Alwyn Rautenbach. Read the full article here.
Eswatini customs moves into electronic era (Eswatini)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (12 June 2020)
In line with its modernisation strategy, the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) has moved to establish a comprehensive e-tariff platform, with the support of the WCO under the framework of the EU-WCO Programme for HS in Africa, funded by the European Union (Please see "Erratum" below). Read the full article here.
Trucking regulations harmonisation, digitalisation to aid Covid-19 fight, says World Bank (International)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (10 June 2020)
The World Bank Group advises ports to rapidly increase their digitalisation efforts over the short to medium term – one to six months – in an effort to reduce the frequency of people- and paper-based contact, says World Bank Group global lead for transport connectivity and regional integration, Martin Humphreys. Read the full article here.
Total resumes LNG operations in Afungi, Northern Mozambique: ExxonMobil FID delayed (Mozambique)
Source: Africa Ports (10 June 2020)
French oil and gas company TOTAL has received the go-ahead to continue its natural gas activities on the Afungi Peninsula in northern Mozambique, following an outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year. Read the full article here.
TFR reopens Pyramid South freight line for mining & automotive sectors (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (10 June 2020)
Transnet has re-opened the freight line from the Pretoria complex to Pyramid Station (Pretoria North to Hercules), following years of closure as a result of challenges with cable theft and sabotage. Read the full article here.
Also reported by Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW here.
US cargo compromised as Cape Town battles stacking shortfalls (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (10 June 2020)
Capacity shortfalls around container stacking at the Port of Cape Town are jeopardising South African export concerns, a transporter based in the city is claiming. Read the full article here.
Kenya orders new 120-ton bollard pull salvage & harbour tug (Kenya)
Source: Africa Ports (9 June 2020)
Med Marine, Turkey’s leading tugboat builder, towage and pilotage operator has signed a new deal with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) for a brand-new RAstar 4200 (MED-A42120) tugboat. This award followed a bidding process in a highly competitive international tender issued by the Kenya Ports Authority. Read the full article here.
Trucks queue north of Zim as Zambian leader visits border (Zimbabwe and Zambia)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (8 June 2020)
Road hauliers passing through Zambia’s Chirundu border into Zimbabwe yesterday queued for more than 10 kilometres because of a state visit to the notoriously congested crossing. Read the full article here.