Port of Richards Bay stats for 2020

DESPITE a challenging year for global trade, cargo volumes at the Port of Richards Bay remained above the
90 million tonne mark for 2020.

The local port shifted a total of 95 million tonnes, with dry bulk cargo volumes recording 92 million tonnes.
A total of 1 939 746 tonnes of liquid bulk was handled and 738 850 tonnes in breakbulk was moved during the course of the year.

These figures were released by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and cover the 2020 calendar year.
The cargo volumes are, however, a decline in comparison to the 98 million metric tonnes moved in 2019 and
103 million tonnes in 2018.

These results follow a tumultuous year for imports and exports, owing to various restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

‘The general slowdown in economic activity saw a decline in the performance of key sectors, including mining and manufacturing.

‘This resulted in the decline of rail (-16.4 percent) and port (-20.7 percent) volumes for the period, compared to the same period in the previous year.

‘Bulk terminals were operating at reduced capacity during the initial hard lockdown, which weighed heavily on the exports of iron ore, manganese and chrome,’ said Transnet spokesperson, Ayanda Shezi.

According to Transnet’s financial results for the year ended 30 September 2020, the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal’s loading rate declined to 800 tonnes per hour for the six-month period (2019: 828 tonnes per hour) and the offloading rate declined to 416 tonnes per hour (2019: 459 tonnes per hour).

After the initial hard lockdown, output was adversely impacted by regulations that prohibited mines from operating at full capacity.

‘Port volumes were also impacted by the reduced number of employees at work, owing to the effects of positive Covid-19 cases,’ said Shezi.