A reduction in long queues at port terminals has been hailed as progress in the ongoing efforts to improve efficiency at South Africa’s ports.

This was noted by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, who also counted positive efforts to increase the movement of cargo.

ALSO READ: Private companies granted access to State-owned freight rail network

She said Transnet rail tonnage increased by 9 million tonnes to 161 million tonnes last year; and containers handled at ports increased by 48 000 units (TEUs), 54% up on last year.

“Since July, we have been reaching or exceeding our weekly TEU target, and I am pleased to report that there are no longer queues at our port terminals,” said Creecy.

The minister was speaking at the National Press Club Roundtable on Transport Economy on Thursday.

Creecy said the department has set six clear targets to improve passenger, freight and logistics systems over the next four years.

The six targets

* To ensure that by 2029, 250 million tonnes of freight are carried on the Transnet network

* Improve the speed of loading and unloading ships to the international benchmark of 30 gross crane moves per hour

* Ensure the passenger rail system provides safe, reliable and affordable transport to workers and their families

* Achieve 600 million passenger journeys per annum by 2030

* To boost the contribution of aviation to tourism, economic development and job creation, 42 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of air freight are expected to move through the ACSA network of airports by the end of this political term

* To ensure greater road safety and reduce the devastating toll road accidents have on lives, livelihoods and the GDP, aims to reduce road fatalities by 45% by 2029 to reach the UN target of halving road fatalities by 2030

Request for proposals in December

Creecy added that government constraints on funding infrastructure development have made private sector investment critical.

“To guide private sector investment in our five priority rail and port corridors, we have just concluded a Request for Information process.

“We are currently processing the 163 submissions we received from private sector players and intend to release the first request of proposal by December this year,” said Creecy.

“In line with the private sector participation envisioned in the White Paper on the National Rail Policy, we announced the first 11 private rail operators in August.”

The department announced in August plans to boost freight operations by opening up its rail network to the private sector, revealing that 11 companies have met the necessary requirements.

This would include six new entrants on the North Corridor for the transportation of coal and chrome.

Don’t have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here:

HAVE YOUR SAY