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PORTS, TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR NEWS ROUND-UP, 11/2020 (22 JUNE – 3 JULY 2020)

By Andrew Pike Friday, July 10, 2020
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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 Botswana, Cameroon, DRC, eSwatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, 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.

For non-Covid19 legislation updates from South Africa…

Other news continues below…

TPT remains optimistic about SA's remaining citrus season (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (3 July 2020)
With three to four months still to go, Transnet Port Terminals says it is optimistic about the 2020 citrus season. Read the full article here.
 
Navis Truck Appointment System introduced at City Deep Terminal (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (3 July 2020)
Transnet Freight Rail will implement the Navis Truck Appointment System at its City Deep Terminal in Johannesburg from Monday, 6 July 2020. This new online truck scheduling system will regulate the flow of road trucks to the terminal and also enable physical distancing during the Covid 19 pandemic. Read the full article here. Also reported in Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW here. 
 
Mossel Bay ship repair generating jobs (South Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (3 July 2020)
A steady flow of work at the Port of Mossel Bay’s ship repair facility is helping to create much-needed jobs in the region as the country battles widening job losses owing to Covid-19 and the national lockdown, says the Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA). Read the full article here.

Tanzania, Zambia seeking $400m for petroleum pipeline rehab (Tanzania and Zambia)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (3 July 2020)
Tanzania and Zambia are negotiating for a $400-million syndicated loan to finance the upgrade of a petroleum pipeline jointly owned by the neighbouring countries. Read the full article here.
 
Port of Cape Town clearing backlogs (South Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (3 July 2020)
The Port of Cape Town is ramping up operations and reducing shipping backlogs caused by the impact of Covid-19 on the port’s human resources. Read the full article here.
 
Cape Town port users give berth control the thumbs-up (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (3 July 2020)
The Port of Cape Town is ramping up operations and reducing shipping backlogs caused by the impact of Covid-19 on the port’s human resources, a statement by Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA) has said. Read the full article here.
 
Flicker of light at the end of air cargo tunnel (International)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (3 July 2020)
As PPE volumes faded, global air cargo volumes in June provided the first real indicators of structural recovery. The industry seems to be ‘slowly getting back up on its feet’ as volumes in the first four weeks climbed 6% versus the full four weeks of May. Read the full article here. 
 
Sub-Saharan export volumes nosedive (Botswana, DRC, eSwatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (3 July 2020)
Export volumes across Sub-Saharan Africa’s north-south corridor have declined across the board, with the coronavirus triggering a disproportionate decrease in outbound cargo, trade executive John Rocha has said. Read the full article here.
 
Transnet undertakes upgrades at various terminals (South Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (2 July 2020)
Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) has prepared for a 13% increase in citrus volumes this year, with new equipment being set up to boost operations at the Port Elizabeth, Durban and Ngqura container terminals. Read the full article here. 
 
Cameroon to create export promotion agency to capitalise on AfCFTA (Cameroon)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (2 July 2020)
Coronavirus-induced supply chain challenges proved to be a “mother of invention” of sorts for consumer goods company Unilever which had to source material locally to support sustained supply chain efficiencies. Read the full article here.
  
Port of Cape Town receives additional capacity to assist in terminal operations (South Africa)
Source: Transnet (30 June 2020)
Transnet has introduced a number of solutions to deal with operational backlogs at the Port of Cape Town, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.
Read the full press release here. Also reported in Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW here, Africa Ports here and Creamer Media’s Engineering News here. 
 
Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium 2020 takeaways (South Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (30 June 2020)
At the infrastructure symposium held on 23 June, representatives from the public and private sectors discussed how they could co-operate on infrastructure renewal projects in energy, transport, water and human settlements, digital infrastructure, agriculture and district development. Read the full article here. 
 
Transnet Port Terminals places order with ZPMC for 22 straddle carriers (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (30 June 2020)
Transnet Port Terminals has placed an order with Chinese port equipment supplier, ZPMC, for 22 intelligent straddle carriers to go into service at South Africa’s container terminals. Read the full article here. 
 
Western Cape government concern over operational issues at Cape Town port (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (30 June  2020)
David Maynier, the Western Cape Minister of Finance & Economic Opportunities, says urgent intervention is required to address the operational issues at the Port of Cape Town. Read the full article here. Also reported by Creamer Media’s Engineering News here. 
 
Kopfontein border remains a headache for transporters (Botswana, Namibia and South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (30 June 2020)
Covid-related congestion continues to hamper freight flow at the Skilpadshek border near Zeerust into Botswana, an important access point not just for supplies heading from South Africa to its landlocked neighbour, but also for goods heading further west towards Namibia. Read the full article here. 
 
Nigerian Federal Government to take control of all anchorages (Nigeria)
Source: Africa Ports (29 June  2020)
Nigeria’s Federal Government has given a clear indication of its determination of having total control of the country’s maritime security by announcing through the Nigerian Ports Authority and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) that it will fund the US$195 million Deep Blue Project to ensure that Nigeria handles all security matters in relation to vessel movements and calls at ports and anchorages. Read the full article here. 
 
Citrus exports diverted to Eastern Cape ports to avoid Cape Town delays (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (29 June 2020)
The citrus industry has taken decisive action to ensure continuity of supply to key export markets in light of delays at the Port of Cape Town which has been operating at 50% capacity due to high numbers of staff affected by Covid-19. Read the full article here. 
 
Cargo overstays at Dar and Mombasa ports face the auction hammer (Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (29 June 2020)
Rwandan importers are pushing for talks to resolve a longstanding problem of cargo overstays at Tanzanian and Kenyan ports which now face imminent auction to clear charges and penalties accrued due to delays attributed to Covid-19, the East African has reported. Read the full article here. 
 
New shift record performance at Port of Mombasa (Kenya)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (26 June 2020)
The Port of Mombasa has witnessed a new shift record performance after registering 1039 moves within eight hours. Read the full article here.
 
Record reefer movement set in Walvis Bay (Namibia)
Source: Africa Ports (25 June  2020)
The Port of Walvis Bay has been in the news today for all the right reasons. The first of our reports in this edition concerns the achievement set on Saturday, 21 June 2020, when an African record for reefer lifts on a single vessel was set in the port. Read the full article here.
 
Namport enjoys 30% increase in cargo handling, thanks largely to Luderitz (Namibia)
Source: Africa Ports (25 June 2020)
The twin ports of Namport, Walvis Bay and Lüderitz enjoyed a successful fiscal year 2019/2020 by recording an impressive 30% increase in cargo throughput. Read the full article here.

Latest terrorist activity in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique (Mozambique)
Source: Africa Ports (24 June 2020)
According to the Mozambique Defence Force two villages previously held by Islamist terrorist in northern Mozambique in the Mocimboa da Praia district, have been recaptured. After the villages of Makulo and Cabacera were occupied by the terror group, members of the local population managed to alert security forces resulting in the defence force sending units to recapture the villages. Read the full article here.
 
Port of Cape Town restores berthing gangs after Covid-19 staff shortages (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (24 June 2020)
Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has pushed its operational staff complement of “gangs” working vessels at the port to five, a statement by Transnet has confirmed. Read the full article here. 
 
Kenya High Court orders suspension of Naivasha cargo order (Kenya)
Source: Africa Ports (22 June 2020)
Kenya’s order that all cargo bound for inland destinations, including to Uganda, Rwanda and other landlocked neighbours, be railed on the standard gauge railway (SGR) as far as the terminus at Naivasha before being trucked to final destinations, has been temporarily set aside by the Kenya High Court. Read the full article here.
 
‘Penalties’ hurt freight forwarders’ bottom line (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (22 June 2020)
Freight forwarders are still under the lash of the lockdown, battling related demurrage and storage charges preventing them from getting back to healthier balance sheet positions. Read the full article here.
 
Surcharge issue raised ahead of second Port of CT problem-solving session (South Africa)
Source: Southern Africa’s Freight News by FTW (22 June 2020)
It is hoped that when Transnet meets with the freight industry tomorrow in the second of a twice-weekly problem-solving session about Covid-19 efficiency shortcomings at the Port of Cape Town, the agenda will be topped by delay-related surcharges. Read the full article here.