Lines take issue with Portnet's new structure

Split portfolios could cause confusion,
writes Ray Smuts
THE CONTAINER
Liner Operating Forum, concerned at major restructuring recently announced by Portnet's Port Operations Division (POD), has placed the matter high on its agenda for further discussion with POD.
Speaking from Durban, CLOF chairman Captain Dave Rennie said the restructuring, which effectively splits functions among three individuals, Nad Govender, Mdu Nene and Themba Gwala, comes at a time when the forum is already dealing with a number of important initiatives. These include the imminent implementation of Corebis (the new terminal handling charge system), the tariff reform process and the development of service agreements between terminals and the lines.
Rennie expressed the hope that with three people responsible for the various portfolios they would be "talking from a single hymn sheet" and stressed it was far more beneficial to deal with one party rather than have three different points of view.
Maersk South Africa's Peter Ehrenreich, reading aloud from a fax outlining Nad Govender's responsibilities - Cape Town container terminal, Durban car terminal and the multi-purpose terminals handling break bulk cargoes in Cape Town, Durban and Saldanha Bay - said he was concerned that with one person handling so many different areas, "focus" might be lost on containers. Furthermore, customers could become confused as to who was responsible for what.
"I am concerned at the splitting of containers on a nationwide basis and having three people, each dealing with three different commodities, just does not make sense to me.
"They can of course prove me wrong but I prefer the old structure where one person was looking after containers, another break bulk and yet another cars, for example."
Ron Caris, Cape Town chairman of the Association of Ship's Agents and Brokers, said: "What concerns me about POD's restructuring is that people will be operating from a remote distance which will complicate communication a tad."