First workshop scheduled
for Durban on March 25
A SPECIAL FORUM has been set up to meet concern within the freight transport industry regarding Year 2000 compliance and to ensure business continuity into the new millennium.
Aimed at uniting the industry and assisting members to achieve Y2K compliance, the Shipping and Transport Industry Year 2000 Forum will facilitate the sharing of resources and concerns among members followed by joint contingency planning and collective action as necessary, according to spokesman Andre Wissler.
Although generally seen as an IT issue, the millennium bug is really about managing a business risk to minimise the anticipated level of disruption, he says. As we are all part of the supply chain, the implications of non-compliance are huge.
From an operations, legal and national point of view, mutual co-operation and communication are essential, he added.
Initiated by Portnet and the Rennies Group late last year, the forum now includes Spoornet, Safmarine, P&O Nedlloyd and Grincor. Deloitte and Touche have been appointed as administrators.
Regular meetings are to be held to identify common issues and to agree on action plans to reduce the risk of non-compliance, says Wissler.
These meetings are to take the format of workshops which will be open to all interested parties. The first is scheduled for Durban on March 25 and will include discussions on the compliance levels of electricity suppliers, local councils and legal issues, he said.
Workshops will be held at six-weekly intervals, with the venue rotating between Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
