A crucial transit point used for moving abnormal loads through the Port of Durban that could be lost if private construction work on public land goes ahead, seems to be safe following high-level intervention by the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Transport (DoT) – for now. The bypass route through an area called “the old PX Block”, referred to by many as a “critical leg”, is the only point to move cargo that is more than six metres in height in and out of port. Industry interests say it should be secured as a permanent servitude. At least one transporter who requested anonymity explained that the section connecting South Coast Road with Solomon Mahlangu Drive (previously Edwin Swales Drive), had been available as a bypass route around the M4 highway bridge since he had joined the freight sector some 25 years ago. “I personally believed this was an official servitude and we were always afforded clear access and the situation worked well.” But a private property company, Newlyn Group, holds the Transnet lease to the land on which it is now busy developing access points that could ultimately inhibit large cargo. Effectively it means that certain types of engineering machinery would have to be moved through the Port of Richards Bay, at prohibitive cost. One company that finds itself on tenterhooks because of what’s happening around PX Block is Africa Route Clearance. Its operations manager, Rick Stadman, told FTW that they were currently in the process of bringing in a 235-ton reactor that was 7.40 metres high and was destined for the Sapref refinery south of Durban. He said Newlyn had given them an undertaking that they would have access via PX Block but only until April by which time the developers intended to proceed with building hightech overhead gantry entry and exits points as well as a traffic circle, all intended to improve Newlyn’s current warehouse facility, PX Warehouse Yard. Stadman said he was concerned though that the undertaking was only verbal and since November’s meeting with Newlyn, he had been trying in vain to seek a written commitment. “Despite numerous attempts to get something out of Newlyn nothing has been forthcoming. I’m prepared to go and sit outside their premises until they see me.” The anonymous transporter confirmed to FTW that, following recent concerns raised with Transnet about the extreme impact on industry if the bypass route was lost, the parastatal said he “must deal directly with Newlyn”. For the time being though, Newlyn’s hold over the future of PX Block appears to be hanging in the balance after last week’s DoT meeting which, in addition to several industry concerns such as Sapref, was attended by Transnet Port Terminals and Transnet National Ports Authority. Since the meeting FTW has reliably learned from a source who was privy to an email summarising the discussion’s findings that Transnet has been instructed to re-engage Newlyn about the lease it has obtained. It was highlighted, inter alia, that the DoT would not be able to issue abnormal load permits “for cargo greater than six metres in height if the development at 151 South Coast Road proceeded as planned”. It reiterated that if Newlyn forged ahead with its improvements, “all cargo greater than six metres would need to be diverted to Richards Bay”. The email furthermore stated that Transnet had been instructed to review the lease with Newlyn and should the lease be retained, would “investigate whether an abnormal road can be built into the design of the current construction work to see whether it can be retained as an abnormal access point”. Newlyn has since said that they are in possession of requests to accommodate abnormal freight. However, head of the company’s legal department, Myran Bedhram, said “we record that there is no obligation on us to provide the same via our site and nor is there any servitude against the property giving rise to such right”. He added though that “we support infrastructure and development with the eThekwini Municipality and the country” and that Newlyn “design facilities to support both the city and country as a whole in relation to modes of transport for moving cargo and which facilities are operationally efficient”. But Kevin Martin, a regular industry commentator and outgoing CEO of Freightliner Transport, said: “It’s time we found out how Newlyn got this lease. How was it advertised and how was it awarded?” The news that the PX Block lease is coming under scrutiny has since been welcomed. Peter Besnard, CEO of the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa), remarked that to turn abnormal loads away from Durban harbour and send them 178 kilometres further north “is simply not an option because Richards Bay doesn’t have the kind of cranes required to handle such freight”.
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