Improving African port performance
Doing it better and faster, and being consistently more reliable than your competitors, is the means to building a sustainable business and securing the future.
Since containerisation emerged to revolutionise freight transport in 1976, turnaround time has been the key indicator of a port’s capability and ability to maintain high levels of productivity and performance management in servicing port users. The most important objective for a port’s container terminal is to increase its throughput and reduce the amount of time a vessel spends in port. Achieving this objective is dependent on the effectiveness of allocating and scheduling key resources, such as quay cranes, yard cranes, berths and trucks. And, to do this effectively, careful planning and efficient organisation is required so that queue build up and congestion costs are avoided. For the shipper, vessel turnaround time relates directly to berthing costs and increment voyage costs for vessel itself. For the customer, within the entire supply chain process, high turnaround time ultimately translates into lower input costs and a lower goods price for the customer’s customer.
Now, with globalisation an entrenched reality, trade and the subsequent breakdown in trade barriers, growth in marine transport is at an all time high, and growing. This has led to fierce competition between port operators to attract port users who, by default, bring with them all the accompanying economic benefits. Therefore, port operators must achieve shorter turnaround times for vessels in order to benchmark high productivity and performance. At the same time, berthing costs need to be competitive and kept as low as possible.
We would do well to remember that the shortest route is not always the best route. However, if it is efficient and cost effective, it will be.
Excerpt from Ref: http://www.twa.co.za
Join us at the 9th Annual Africa Ports & Harbours Show to discuss these key issues and meet with Africa’s most influential Port and terminal operators
