SeaPort Manatee’s annual impact surges past $5.1 billion
Other Transport News
Global supply chain turmoil to persist into 2023 – SAAFF
Global pandemic-induced supply chain woes are set to continue for much of the year, including elevated demand, staffing shortages and global port congestion, says South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) CEO Dr Juanita Maree. Indeed, moderation, or a return to normal – albeit a new, adjusted normal – will only occur around the Chinese New Year in 2023 (late January).
NBCRFLI threatens to shut down road freight industry in light of attacks
The National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI) said on March 9 that “it may be necessary for the parties to council to shut down the industry for a period of time” until ongoing “senseless attacks” by members of a truck driver’s forum were stopped. “The parties to council are no longer willing to watch and wait for further attacks on their companies, which have cost innocent lives and billions of rands on infrastructure,” the NBCRFLI said.
Transnet launches investigation after two container fires of same consignment
Transnet is investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in a shipping container at its Durban Container Terminal Pier 2, on the morning of March 7. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but has been contained with impacted containers being moved to an isolated stacking area so that their owners can offload them as soon as possible.
Air cargo, passenger demand slowed month-on-month in January
The International Air Transport Association has reported that the growth in both air cargo and air passenger traffic in January decelerated, in comparison to December last year. (Iata is the global representative body for the airline industry.) Regarding air cargo, globally, in January this was 2.7% up on the figure for January 2021. But December last year had recorded year-on-year growth of 9.3%. Air cargo capacity in January this year was 11.4% greater in year-on-year terms, but still 8.9% down on January 2019 (that is, pre-Covid-19 pandemic) capacity. Growth was being slowed by disruptions in supply chains and deteriorating economic conditions.
Cape Town International Airport reporting recovery in both passenger and air cargo traffic
Public-private partnership Cape Town Air Access has reported that Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) last month registered its highest number of international air passengers since the restoration of international air travel in October 2020. A total of 125 861 international passengers passed through the airport in February, both inbound and outbound. This figure represented 52% of the number of such passengers recorded in February 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. This month was already promising to be even better. From March 1 to March 6, CTIA registered 31 445 international passengers (both ways), or 58% of the figure recorded during the same period in 2019.
Cape Town trains suspended for second time in one week after vandalism
Metrorail has implemented extra security measures after a second attempt to steal cables providing electricity to its trains. All trains in the Western Cape were halted on Tuesday following vandalism to the cables during load shedding. The latest attempt, which took place on Thursday at around at 18:30, saw trains cancelled on Cape Town lines.