Operations at Durban Gateway Terminal remain constrained following the implementation of the NAVIS N4 terminal operating system.
While the system itself is reported to be stable, the terminal is still working through a backlog, with ongoing pressure on yard capacity, equipment availability and truck appointment slots.
From the perspective of Swift Worldwide Logistics’ Operations and Transport teams, the main concern is the effect these constraints are having on the practical movement of containers through the port.
The Transition to NAVIS N4
The transition to NAVIS N4 took place in mid-August.
Although communication around the implementation had taken place beforehand, our experience at transporter level was that some of the practical requirements were not sufficiently clear ahead of the changeover.
Transporters found that they needed to register on the new system before they could continue transacting normally with the terminal. This resulted in an additional administrative challenge at a time when normal terminal operations were already being disrupted by the system transition.
As with any major change to a terminal operating system, the impact extends beyond the terminal itself. Freight forwarders, transporters, shipping lines, clearing agents and cargo owners all depend on the same operating environment to coordinate the movement of containers.
Truck Appointment Availability
One of the most significant practical constraints has been the availability of truck appointment slots.
Our Transport team has had to monitor booking availability far more closely than under normal conditions. On some occasions, this has meant accessing the system in the early hours of the morning, including around 1am, when slots became available.
This is not necessarily because transport capacity is unavailable.
A truck and driver may be ready, the container may be discharged and customs formalities may have been completed, but the collection can still only take place once an appropriate terminal appointment has been secured.
The result is that transport planning has become considerably less predictable.
Reduced Throughput
Our experience is that the number of containers we are currently able to collect is materially lower than before the disruption.
This has an effect across the transport operation.
Vehicles that would ordinarily complete a number of movements during a working period may instead have fewer opportunities to enter the terminal. Plans also need to be revised more frequently as booking availability, container status and terminal conditions change.
This does not necessarily indicate a shortage of trucks or drivers. In many cases, the constraint is simply the rate at which cargo can be accessed through the terminal.
Discharged Does Not Always Mean Available for Collection
It is worth distinguishing between a container being discharged from a vessel and being practically available for delivery.
Before a collection can take place, several requirements still need to align:
- The container must be available within the terminal.
- Customs and shipping-line formalities must be complete.
- A truck appointment must be obtained.
- A vehicle and driver must be allocated.
- The customer or delivery point must be ready to receive the cargo.
- Empty container return arrangements must be considered.
Under normal operating conditions, these processes generally align with reasonable predictability.
At present, the reduced availability of terminal slots means that there may be a delay between a container being discharged and our ability to physically collect it.
What Swift Is Monitoring
Our Operations and Transport teams are therefore paying particular attention to cargo moving through Durban.
This includes monitoring:
- Vessel arrivals and berthing movements
- Container discharge status
- Terminal availability
- Truck appointment releases
- Customs and shipping-line documentation
- Transport capacity
- Delivery requirements
- Free-time expiry
- Demurrage and detention exposure
- Empty container return arrangements
Where cargo is urgent, we encourage clients to make this known as early as possible so that our teams can take it into account when appointments become available.
Managing Expectations
The current conditions also require some adjustment to normal delivery planning.
A vessel ETA or discharge notification should not necessarily be treated as a firm indication of when the cargo will reach the consignee.
Where possible, importers should allow additional contingency between vessel arrival, discharge and final delivery.
Customs clearance and documentation should also be completed as early as possible so that these do not become additional obstacles once a collection opportunity becomes available.
Costs and Free Time
DGT has indicated that terminal storage charges for affected containers are being waived while operational stability is restored, and shipping lines have been encouraged to consider additional free time for cargo affected by the disruption.
This is helpful, but cargo owners should not assume that all potential charges will automatically fall away.
Demurrage, detention and other shipping-line charges may still need to be considered on a shipment-by-shipment basis.
Our Operations teams are therefore continuing to monitor free-time exposure and, where appropriate, engage with the relevant parties before charges become an issue.
Communication During the Disruption
The situation reinforces the importance of regular operational communication.
Where a planned collection cannot take place, clients need to understand what has changed and what the revised expectation is.
Equally, where a terminal booking becomes available at short notice, Operations, Transport and the receiving customer need to coordinate quickly to make use of that opportunity.
Our approach during the current disruption is therefore relatively straightforward: monitor closely, plan as far ahead as conditions allow, and communicate changes when they occur.
The Current Outlook
There are signs that conditions are gradually improving, but operations have not yet returned to their previous level of fluidity.
For the time being, fewer truck appointment opportunities and lower terminal throughput mean that container evacuation is taking longer than would ordinarily be expected.
Swift’s Operations and Transport teams will continue to monitor developments and adjust collection and delivery planning accordingly.
For clients with cargo currently moving through Durban, we recommend allowing additional time in delivery planning and speaking to your Swift controller where a shipment has a particular deadline, free-time concern or other operational priority.
