Essential cargo is helping to buoy freight through the Port of Durban, MSC director Glenn Delve has said.
He told FTW Online on the eve of the title re-launching as Freight News that although non-essential container cargo and minerals shipments had gone right down as a result of South Africa’s coronavirus lockdown, “essential cargo is showing a lot of movement”.
With stage 4 of lockdown set to take effect at midnight on May 1, agricultural and some non-essential cargo is exected to boost steadily increasing sea freight volumes.
For the moment though minerals remain the big loss-maker, with some 30 000-40 000 tonnes per week not shipped since the country’s lockdown took effect.
As for delays experienced at the Port of Durban, a persistent problem that has been an enduring headache for shipping lines and harbour carriers servicing the port, Delve said authorities were regularly keeping industry informed of what was happening.
According to Delve the port is probably about 50% operational, as per the lockdown restrictions.
