Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) on Friday said the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has completed the recruitment of 32 hauler drivers in time for the arrival of 32 new haulers early this month – bringing the total of the terminal’s new fleet to 47 haulers.
This comes as TPT last month took delivery of 15 new haulers, a portion of a consignment of 47 new haulers, following the arrival of 10 haulers at the terminal in June.
The haulers are key in moving containers within CTCT and will significantly boost operational recovery at the terminals after operations were affected by recent inclement weather.
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Shacman was currently conducting a full inspection before the vehicle-mounted tools necessary for the CTCT environment were installed.
These include terminal systems, radios and the Navis container management system which ensures the flow and seamless distribution of containers in the yard.
TPT Western Cape Terminals managing executive Oscar Borchards said, the terminal’s total hauler fleet was now on par with the terminal’s design capacity.
“We are now able to deploy enough resources behind every crane. At this point, our haulers are sufficient for us to sustain a seven-gang operation,” Borchards said.
After the fitting of vehicle-mounted terminals, radios and the 40-hour endurance testing, the haulers will be officially handed over to operations.
This investment forms part of Transnet’s Recovery Plan across its terminals nationally and is aimed at improving productivity and vessel turnaround time.
The new haulers come with improved design and additional safety features. Features include a sunroof for drivers to determine the positioning of the container from the vessel to the truck and vice versa.
They also come with an anti-lock braking system and rear camera while most of their controls are operated automatically.
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