Port cargo stats down for June

RICHARDS Bay experienced a decline in the total tonnage of cargo handled at the port during June.

The port, which mainly focuses on coal export and other dry bulk handling, recorded a total of 8,3 million metric tons compared to the 8,8 million tons in May and 8,4 million in June last year.

Of the total cargo handled, 8,1 million metric tons was dry bulk and 211 620 tons was liquid bulk.

There was, however, an increase in container movement, with 813 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) handled in June compared to the 722 in May.

Of the total containers handled, 551 were shipped and 262 arrived at the port.

152 vessels with a total tonnage of 5,6 million were also recorded last month, 149 being for export and three miscellaneous.

Of the 26 tankers recorded, seven were oil, 15 were chemical and four were liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

By tonnage, the port of Richards Bay has the largest dry bulk terminal in the country and handles approximately 54% of the total dry bulk cargo demand.

It currently has seven dry bulk berths.

Plans are in place to increase the berth capacity from 21 million tons to 40.4 million tons owing to the provision of two additional berths and the conversion of another from an import berth to export.

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