{"id":265553,"date":"2025-11-16T06:03:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T07:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/?p=265553"},"modified":"2025-11-17T06:05:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T06:05:35","slug":"port-efficiency-improves-as-private-operators-and-reforms-unlock-investment-godongwana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/builder\/port-efficiency-improves-as-private-operators-and-reforms-unlock-investment-godongwana\/","title":{"rendered":"Port efficiency improves as private operators and reforms unlock investment: Godongwana"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post<\/a> was originally published on this site<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>\n

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has said that South Africa\u2019s ports have seen significant efficiency gains in recent years.<\/p>\n

This comes as vessel waiting times are down 75%, while container handling has become faster, a trend confirmed by industry experts.<\/p>\n

Gondongwana last week noted that freight movement within the country had faced serious challenges, including congestion caused by a shift from rail to road transport<\/p>\n

\u201cThis led to an overall decline in the volume of goods and exports <\/span>transited<\/b>. Reforms in freight logistics are gaining speed. Eleven private train operators now have slots on 41 routes across six corridors,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPort efficiency is improving, with vessel waiting times down 75%, while container handling is faster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gondongwana added that with Durban Pier 2 welcoming private operators, Transnet was expected to unlock R200 billion in investment over the next five years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese much-needed reforms in logistics will increase the volume of rail freight, reduce port congestion and improve the country\u2019s economic performance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Independent maritime consultant Dave Watts on Friday said container terminal efficiency has improved in 2025 due to new equipment and stronger management focus.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is however coming off a low base with a lot further to be achieved. The citrus industry experienced a record year moving over 50 000 FEUs through Durban terminals, all of which performed exceptionally,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watts highlighted that the arrival of new straddle carriers and the commissioning of four new ship-to-shore cranes at South Quay before the end of 2025 are expected to further boost efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCurrent concerns are the widening and deepening of the North Quay which is to commence in 2026 at berth 205 and will certainly add constraints on container handling for the six years that the project is planned,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe court\u2019s decision around the PPS at DCT allows for <\/span>International Container Terminal Services<\/span> (ICTSI) to commence operations. Final confirmation of timing for the handover is expected shortly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Malcolm Hartwell, director and master mariner at Norton Rose Fulbright, pointed to Transnet\u2019s improved statistics as evidence of tangible progress. <\/span>Ship waiting times have dropped dramatically, container handling has improved, and cargo and truck waiting times have decreased. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hartwell attributed these gains to government recognition of logistics\u2019 critical role in an import- and export-driven economy, the formation of the logistics crisis committee, and targeted interventions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe overall reason for the improvement in efficiency is the government\u2019s realisation as to how important logistics is to an import and export driven economy. This resulted in the logistics crisis committee being formed to advise the government on steps to be taken to improve the logistics sector and retain South Africa\u2019s role as the gateway into Africa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hartwell also said key factors driving efficiency include the appointment of Transnet CEO Michelle Philiips, a stronger governance framework, and a board supported by the government and free from prior allegations of nepotism and corruption. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been enhanced by having a Transnet board that is supported by the government and, unlike previous boards, untainted by allegations of nepotism, corruption and incompetence,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTransnet\u2019s financial position has improved considerably in the last two years which has allowed it to focus on its business, investment and its partnership with the private sector.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hartwell added that reduced container ship waiting times also relieve port and road congestion, benefiting importers and exporters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no doubt that this is merely the start of Transnet and the ports\u2019 turnaround. Our ports remain expensive and inefficient compared to global peers, but they are definitely moving in the right direction,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully, the short-term benefits created by the improvement will allow Transnet to continue to aggressively reform its structures and systems and engage further in partnerships with the private sector.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

BUSINESS REPORT<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has said that South Africa\u2019s ports have seen significant efficiency gains in recent years.This comes as vessel waiting times are down 75%, while container handling has become faster, a trend confirmed by industry experts.Gondongwana last week noted that freight movement within the country had faced serious challenges, including congestion caused by a shift from rail to road transport\u201cThis led to an overall decline in the volume of goods and exports transited. Reforms in freight logistics are gaining speed. Eleven private train operators now have slots on 41 routes across six corridors,\u201d he said. \u201cPort efficiency is improving, with vessel waiting times down 75%, while container handling is faster.\u201dGondongwana added that with Durban Pier 2 welcoming private operators, Transnet was expected to unlock R200 billion in investment over the next five years. \u201cThese much-needed reforms in logistics will increase the volume of rail freight, reduce port congestion and improve the country\u2019s economic performance.\u201dIndependent maritime consultant Dave Watts on Friday said container terminal efficiency has improved in 2025 due to new equipment and stronger management focus. \u201cIt is however coming off a low base with a lot further to be achieved. The citrus industry experienced a record year moving over 50 000 FEUs through Durban terminals, all of which performed exceptionally,\u201d he said.Watts highlighted that the arrival of new straddle carriers and the commissioning of four new ship-to-shore cranes at South Quay before the end of 2025 are expected to further boost efficiency.\u201cCurrent concerns are the widening and deepening of the North Quay which is to commence in 2026 at berth 205 and will certainly add constraints on container handling for the six years that the project is planned,\u201d he said.\u201cThe court\u2019s decision around the PPS at DCT allows for International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) to commence operations. Final confirmation of timing for the handover is expected shortly.\u201dMalcolm Hartwell, director and master mariner at Norton Rose Fulbright, pointed to Transnet\u2019s improved statistics as evidence of tangible progress. Ship waiting times have dropped dramatically, container handling has improved, and cargo and truck waiting times have decreased. Hartwell attributed these gains to government recognition of logistics\u2019 critical role in an import- and export-driven economy, the formation of the logistics crisis committee, and targeted interventions. \u201cThe overall reason for the improvement in efficiency is the government\u2019s realisation as to how important logistics is to an import and export driven economy. This resulted in the logistics crisis committee being formed to advise the government on steps to be taken to improve the logistics sector and retain South Africa\u2019s role as the gateway into Africa.\u201dHartwell also said key factors driving efficiency include the appointment of Transnet CEO Michelle Philiips, a stronger governance framework, and a board supported by the government and free from prior allegations of nepotism and corruption.\u00a0 \u201cThis has been enhanced by having a Transnet board that is supported by the government and, unlike previous boards, untainted by allegations of nepotism, corruption and incompetence,\u201d he said. \u201cTransnet\u2019s financial position has improved considerably in the last two years which has allowed it to focus on its business, investment and its partnership with the private sector.\u201dHartwell added that reduced container ship waiting times also relieve port and road congestion, benefiting importers and exporters.\u201cThere is no doubt that this is merely the start of Transnet and the ports\u2019 turnaround. Our ports remain expensive and inefficient compared to global peers, but they are definitely moving in the right direction,\u201d he said. \u201cHopefully, the short-term benefits created by the improvement will allow Transnet to continue to aggressively reform its structures and systems and engage further in partnerships with the private sector.\u201dBUSINESS REPORT<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-265553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-builder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265553"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":265554,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265553\/revisions\/265554"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}