With increased commodity prices having pushed up export volumes, serious border delays and port congestion are not making it easy for bulk transport operators in southern Africa.Several transporters told Freight News that whilst the market had bounced back after the initial outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, border delays had been the biggest challenge faced by the industry – and not only in the bulk sector. “The delays have hurt the volume of product transported. Where a trip would be costed at a turnaround of 1.5 days, now it is a 2.5-day turnaround. The delays simply result in additional costs to move less volume.”It is, however, not only in South Africa where the ongoing lockdown and quarantine policies are slowing the movement of bulk freight. Around the world a significant increase in congestion at ports and borders is taking its toll. Hopes are high that the ongoing rollout of vaccines will help return the transport industry to some form of nor ma lity.“It remains imperative that border controls be streamlined and adapted to manage the Covid restrictions without hindering the efficiency of the border posts,” said one transpor ter.
