A reach stacker in operation at the Cape Town Container Terminal
State-owned Transnet Port Terminal (TPT) reports that the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) had exceeded its reefer targets by 62% for February and March.
The terminal is also 22% ahead of target for the February to April period, despite having lost 13 days of operation to wind and fog in April, which contributed to a 53% decline for volumes in the month of April.
“Our key priority is to deliver on volume throughput and meet our customers’ expectation. Berthing vessels within their allocated slots and continuous improvement of our ship working hours (SWH) targets are also our focus,” TPT Western Cape acting managing executive Oscar Borchards comments.
For this current financial year, which kicked off in April, the CTCT has reviewed its quarterly targets on key performance indicators, with the SWH targeted at 26 for the first quarter from April to June and set to increase by four in each quarter until the terminal reaches the target of 40 for January to March 2025.
“For May (month-to-date), the CTCT is on target with the SWH of 26, while the past two weeks, the terminal reached 27. This is encouraging and makes us confident that we are on the right path,” Borchards says.
The terminal has increased the number of internal haulers from 32 to 46 and has taken delivery of two reach stackers and two empty container handlers.
Additionally, TPT expects an additional ten haulers to be delivered to the terminal in June, while 47 extra brand-new haulers, currently on order, are expected to arrive in August.
“These interventions, which are inclusive of new equipment and our continuous improvement initiatives, are a testament to our readiness for the citrus season. Our plans are done in collaboration with the customers, and we continue to align via various platforms, including a daily war room meeting,” Borchards says.