'A ground zero project is the best option'

The controversy surrounding the Coega Development Company is drawing away from the fundamental needs of our port systems in the next 10 years. We are already seeing the effects of added volumes on the Durban port and the delays that have resulted.
One of the concerns is why not develop Port Elizabeth to cater for this need. In terms of the scale of a hub port it makes better economic sense to start from ground zero and review the Port Elizabeth port strategy to a bulk/breakbulk/reefer/ fishing port.
At present we are seeing pure emotions and no future scenario planning in terms of the scarcity theory of oil demands/prices and the need for more efficient port systems and vessels to keep the cost of goods at deliverable prices to the customers.
Since the Gulf War we have seen the average per capita income in the Middle East drop by some 20-30% and we will see a future drop in the next 5-10 years. The oil barons of these regions will have to maintain high prices to satisfy their people. If this does not happen we will see more fundamentalists taking control, driving oil prices higher. India and China oil needs in the next decade will increase by 25% placing more demands on a natural scarcity.
With all this in mind we need to plan for these changes. We are seeing the shipping lines looking at the very same issues. P&O, Maersk, Hapag Lloyd to name a few are building bigger and more efficient vessels to reduce the cost per teu carried and maintain a competitive edge. Ports are also a competitive edge in a countryÕs economy and we have an opportunity here to get politics out of the way and think about our future as a regional maritime power.
For me the issue is not about Coega but about a port facility that can meet future demands, and a ground zero project is the best option in terms of infrastructural needs, training, productivity and equipment.
Yeagam Reddy, Chalba Freight, Johannesburg.