Port statistics for September

WITH more than 18 million metric tons of cargo handled at the country’s ports in September, Richards Bay recorded the highest with more than 7 million tons processed.

This according to the latest statistics released by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) last week.

Of the total cargo shipped, excluding vehicles, 174 480 tons was liquid bulk, 66 910 metric tons break bulk and 6.7 million tons dry bulk.

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 through the provision of two additional berths and the conversion of another from an import berth to an export facility.

With the 970 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers handled in Richards Bay last month, 610 TEUs were shipped and 360 units landed.

Of the 136 vessels that arrived at the port, 22 were tankers, 13 chemical vessels, seven for oil and two for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Last month the port recorded a major milestone owing to the arrival of 5 650-ton LPG storage tanks.

The tanks arrived aboard the vessel Xin Si Lu and will be used for the R1-billion LPG facility being developed at the port by Bidvest Tank Terminals (BTT).

The facility is expected to become operational next year, housing the largest storage tanks in the world.

It will store LPG on behalf of independent specialist Petredec, which ships the fuel from the US and the Middle East.

‘The terminal will allow for a significant increase in the cost effective, reliable and safe supply of LPG – considered the fuel of the future – to South Africa,’ said Port Manager Thami Sithole.

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