PE port takes a giant leap forward to becoming an automotive transhipment hub

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The port of Port Elizabeth has taken a giant leap forward in positioning itself as the automotive transhipment hub in the country.

This, with the arrival on Thursday of the world's first hybrid car carrier, Emerald Ace, which discharged 326 vehicles at the PE port's car terminal.

Approximately 80 vehicles will be stored at the car terminal before being dispatched on another vessel to Lagos, Nigeria.

Port manager, Rajesh Dana, says this is the second transhipment consignment handled by the port of Port Elizabeth.

"This showcases the confidence that the industry and market has in the ability of the PE port to handle transhipment cargo," says Dana.

Operations manager at the port of Port Elizabeth, Stephanie Paul, says as they position themselves as a transhipment hub, the performance and efficiency of the car terminal is of paramount importance.

"Year to date for last year we handled 177 units per hour and that is exceptionally good. That is very important for the shipping lines because speed with which the vessel is docked and leaves the port is exceptionally important for them in terms of costs etc," she said.

The Emerald Ace docks in East London on Friday where it will load more than two thousand Mercedes Benz C-class vehicles for the US market.