PORTS, TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR NEWS ROUND-UP, 6/2020 (16 MARCH – 10 APRIL 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 Angola, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somaliland, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For Coronavirus (Covid-19) related updates from South Africa…

Please see our dedicated ports and shipping web page for details of Covid-19 related regulatory changes, directions and updates in South Africa since 16 March. This includes a link to our recent webinar, though please note that the advice provided by the presenters at the webinar was based on the information available at the time of the webinar - since then there have been further guiding documents issued by various role players in the industry and the advice given by our presenters may have been overtaken by new published documents. We also have a page dedicated to aviation regulatory changes, directions and updates.

Other news continues below…

Force Majeure applied to FLNG GIMI project (Mauritania and Senegal)
Source: Africa Ports (8 April 2020)
BP Mauritania Investments has notified Gimi MS Corp, the subsidiary of Golar LNG Ltd, of a force majeure claim under the existing Lease and Operate Agreement. Read the full article here.

Port of Berbera breathing new life into Somaliland (Somaliland)
Source: Africa Ports (8 April 2020)
The development and expansion of the Port of Berbera in the Gulf of Aden has breathed new life into the city and autonomous state of Somaliland. Read the full article here.

Corona screening further clogs up constipated borders (DRC and Zambia)
Source: FTW Online (8 April 2020)
The border post between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia in the copper belt area remains congested despite efforts by private industry concerns to lobby authorities for the immediate alleviation of delays experienced south of Kasumbalesa, an important supply-chain crossing between the two countries. Read the full article here.

Two new harbour cranes for Port Elizabeth at beginning of reefer season (South Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (6 April 2020)
The Port Elizabeth Container Terminal’s (PECT) equipment woes will lessen following the delivery from equipment manufacture Liebherr of two new mobile harbour cranes. Read the full article here.

Central & West African ports cannot shut down, rules PMAWCA (West and Central Africa)
Source: Africa Ports (6 April 2020)
The Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa has made it clear that West and Central African ports cannot shut down because of the coronavirus crisis and must therefore remain open with essential services. Read the full article here.

Namibian road logistics showing early signs of triumphing over Covid-19 (Namibia)
Source: FTW Online (6 April 2020)
The Namibia Logistics Association (NLA) is attempting to revise policy measures in order to make fuel available on the Trans-Kalahari Corridor (TKC) through Botswana. Read the full article here.

North-south DRC/Zambia backlog queue threatening to get out of control (DRC and Zambia)
Source: FTW Online (6 April 2020)
A humanitarian crisis is said to be developing in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province as truck traffic heading north into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has slowed to a trickle with drivers expected to wait for days on end to get through the border post of Kasumbalesa. Read the full article here.

Combi Dock 1 loads ultra large project cargo at Port of Takoradi (Ghana)
Source: Africa Ports (3 April 2020)
Ghana’s Port of Takoradi had to undertake a specialised and unusual operation this week involving the loading of Project Cargo onto the heavylift vessel COMBI DOCK 1. Read the full article here.

Department of Transport publishes Draft Merchant Shipping Regulations (South Africa)
On 3 April 2020, South Africa’s Minister of Transport published draft Merchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Manning) Regulations, 2020. The draft regulations call for public comments to be submitted before 1 June 2020, being within 60 days of publication. A copy of the draft regulations is available from South Africa’s Government Printing Works here. These regulations accompany the draft Merchant Shipping Bill 2020, which was published by the Minister of Transport on 6 March 2020. The draft bill calls for public comments to be submitted before 4 May 2020, being within 60 days of publication. A copy of the draft bill is available here. The Merchant Shipping Public and Stakeholders Consultations meetings that were scheduled to take place during March 2020 at a number of locations in South Africa, were cancelled.

Nigeria imposes curfew at Lagos but ports remain open (Nigeria)
Source: Africa Ports (2 April 2020)
Africa’s most populated and overcrowded city, Lagos, appears deserted following Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari announcement on Sunday, 29 March that a 14-day lockdown, described in Nigeria as a curfew, was to apply as from the following day, Monday 30 March. This applies across Lagos and Ogun States in addition to the Federal Capital Territory. Read the full article here.

Nigeria's terminal operators want ports to remain fully open (Nigeria)
Source: Africa Ports (31 March 2020)
Terminal operators in Nigeria’s ports have emphasised the need for the country’s ports to remain open at all times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full article here.

MPDC adopts measures to ensure continuity of business during COVID-19 crisis (Mozambique)
Source: Africa Ports (31 March 2020)
A package of measures aimed at securing the continuity of business at Port Maputo has been introduced by the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC). Read the full article here.

Ports Regulator of South Africa publishes Decision and Study (South Africa)
On 30 March 2020, The Ports Regulator of South Africa published a Record of Decision on WEGO KPIs and Weights 2020/21 and a Global Pricing Comparator Study 2019/20.

Lack of port development a concern (South Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (27 March 2020) 
While there is some movement in the development of South Africa’s port infrastructure by the private sector, the overall stagnation of its development is concerning, law firm Bowmans ports, transport and logistics head Andrew Pike tells Engineering News. Read the full article here.

Various trends shaping Africa’s port infrastructure (Africa)
Source: Creamer Media’s Engineering News (27 March 2020) 
The development of inland container terminals, or dry ports, to decongest port traffic is a trend that is gaining significant traction in Africa, says WSP Africa maritime technical director Marthinus Retief. Read the full article here.

Bedlam at Beitbridge as Covid-19 lockdown dawns in South Africa (Zimbabwe and South Africa)
Source: FTW Online (27 March 2020)
Bottlenecks at South Africa’s Beitbridge border into Zimbabwe reached crisis levels earlier today as border officials battled to deal with the volume of people making their way north. Read the full article here.

Liebherr to supply RTG cranes for DP World Berbera terminal (Somaliland)
Source: Africa Ports (27 March 2020)
Liebherr has secured a contract with DP World for the manufacture and supply of eight rubber tyre cranes (RTGs) to go into service with Somaliland’s Berbera terminal. According to Liebherr the RTGs will be available and ready for operation before the end of this year. Read the full article here.

Port of Beira tightens up on COVID-19 counter-measures (Mozambique)
Source: Africa Ports (27 March 2020)
Cornelder de Moçambique (CdM) has implemented stronger surveillance and preventative measures aimed at exercising greater control over the entry into Beira of ships from high risk countries. Read the full article here.

Virus-free Botswana closes ranks against Covid-19 (Botswana)
Source: FTW Online (27 March 2020)
Botswana’s ministry of health and wellness has announced quarantine protocols aimed at curbing the coronavirus from spreading to that country and which has bearing on South African road hauliers. Read the full article here. 

COVID-19: West African borders slam shut (Ghana, Benin & Togo, Cameroon)
Source: Africa Ports (24 March 2020)
Several West African countries have closed their borders in efforts aimed at slowing the onset of the coronavirus Pandemic. These are in addition to special precautions at seaports and airports that have been instituted. Read the full article here.

Angolan supply-chain remains open – AASA president (Angola)
Source: FTW Online (23 March 2020)
Angola’s ports, airports and land borders remain open for cargo. That’s according to Marc Smulders, president of the Angolan Association of Shipping Agents (AASA). Read the full article here. 

Kalmar wins contract to supply Dar es Salaam port with six RTGs (Tanzania)
Source: Africa Ports (20 March 2020)
Cargotec’s crane specialist Kalmar has been awarded a contract to supply Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) with a total of six Kalmar rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes for use at Dar es Salaam port. The RTGs are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2021. Read the full article here.

Mombasa port taking strain from global crisis (Kenya)
Source: Africa Ports (19 March 2020)
As global shipping reacts to evolving issues arising from the COVID-19 crisis, the Kenya port of Mombasa has begun feeling the effect with fewer ships and less cargo. Read the full article here.

AP Moller replaces Apapa MD over port congestion (Nigeria)
Source: Africa Ports (18 March 2020)
AP Moller, the parent company of Nigerian subsidiary AP Moller Terminals (APMT), which operates the Apapa Container Terminal, has responded to threats by the Nigerian Ports Authority that it would cancel the concession lease by dismissing its APMT managing director, Martin Jacobs, according to reports from Nigeria. Read the full article here.

Southern Engineering Co Ltd (SECO) launches two cargo barges, destined for Tanga port (Tanzania and Kenya)
Source: Africa Ports (17 March 2020)
Southern Engineering (SECO), based in the Kenyan port of Mombasa, has launched two cargo-handling barges for its client, Tanzania Port Authority (TPA). The barges are to go into service at the Tanzanian port of Tanga. Read the full article here. 

Kenya’s first locally assembled Mahindra rolled out (Kenya)
Source: Africa Ports (17 March 2020)
In a significant boost for the economy of Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta recently unveiled the first Mahindra bakkie (pick-up/van) to be assembled in the East African country. Read the full article here.

DTI wants action on tariff schedule listings ahead of AfCFTA implementation (South Africa)
Source: FTW Online (16 March 2020)
The Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI) has called for the speedy finalisation of the tariff schedule listing of all products covered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) - as well as rules of origin - ahead implementation on 1 July 2020. Read the full article here. Also reported in Africa Ports here.