“Out of sight, out of mind” is the mantra for Eastern Cape ports, which seldom make national news, even though they are the best performing in the Transnet network. Ngqura (NCT) ranks 338th in The Container Port Performance Index 2022 – ahead of Durban (341) and Cape Town (344). Port Elizabeth (PLZ) is ranked 291st despite having only one operational rail-mounted ship-to-shore gantry.NCT and PLZ are given honorary mentions in the 2022/2023 Transnet annual report as both achieved more than 80% of contractual productivity targets with customers. The Ngqura Container Terminal improved its ship working hours (SWH) performance from 37 to 42 moves per hour in 2022/23. Truck turnaround time at NCT was the best in the country at 35 minutes, followed by Cape Town at 43 minutes.Train turnaround time in the NCT terminal was an average of 3.1 hours compared to a target of four hours. Port Elizabeth Bulk Ore Terminal is off loading the 104-wagon trains in 10.2 hours against a target of 12 hours.“Even though our region had different weather pattern-related issues in 2023 compared to 2022, by establishing strong ties with our shipping lines, we were able to redirect some of the ships from Ngqura to Port Elizabeth when inclement weather left Ngqura windbound,” Ntombi Kulati, Transnet Port Terminals regional corporate affairs manager, told Freight News.Firsts for East London over the past year include soya bean and manganese exports. In September, 30 000 tons of soya beans were loaded at 207 tons an hour through the port’s grain elevator. This followed the resumption of maize and wheat exports and imports handled by the elevator after a two-year shutdown due to lack of demand, according to terminal manager Naliya Stamper. Rail was used to transport the first manganese shipment through the East London multipurpose terminal in October.Kulati stated that despite NCT’s lost working hours this fiscal year because of weather-related factors, including wind and large waves that alter vessel movement patterns, NCT had demonstrated resilience and made a strong comeback in its performance. Additionally, Kulati stated that as PECT (PE Container Terminal) was not significantly impacted by weather, its performance had significantly increased because of the vessels’ diversion from NCT. “The arrangement to divert vessels to PE was made possible in large part by our positive relationship with our shipping lines.”There are now four ore trains a week of which two are from Kimberley to East London, according to Kulati.“Terminal operations have stepped up since the rail connection started running at full steam. The East London terminal can now manage a train with 160 moves in less than three hours,” she told Freight News.Port Elizabeth Manganese Terminal continues to rail manganese. It underwent its annual 10-day maintenance shutdown in December 2023, and there are plans for further investment in the 2024/2025 financial year. Transnet Port Terminals has also budgeted for extensive upgrades and refurbishment of equipment in the Port Elizabeth and NCT terminals.
