Special manager focuses on speedier harbour throughput

IMPROVING HARBOUR throughput times is of major importance to exports and imports and represents a valuable opportunity to improve the value chain, says Spoornet's general manager, restructuring and joint ventures Ravi Nair.
But, he says, the situation is a very complex one and the Portnet 'common user facility status' mitigates against joint ventures to address throughput. Addressing the Africa Rail 2001 conference at Midrand last week, Nair said the complexity was compounded by the multiple role players and differing individual perspectives. Some of the role players to which he referred include the port authority, shipping agents, shipping lines, port operator, private terminal operators, container terminal, Spoornet operations and customs.
"We have taken action to address these issues by setting up liaison forums at all levels, particularly to address the Portnet-Spoornet operational interface. We have arranged interface between Spoornet and Portnet systems, which involves CX Movement Management and Cosmos. This has led to a review of the interface design and implementation of improvements.
"An executive manager has been appointed who is directly responsible for all rail operations into harbours, and a model is being developed to determine lowest cost options. However the Portnet common user facility status remains, and this
has been a hurdle against joint ventures which we must overcome."