$240M project to upgrade city port

A NUMBER of critical problem areas will be addressed as part of a $240 million project, scheduled to take place within the next five months by the Port Authority. At a press conference held to present the newly appointed Board, which was sworn in at President’s House yesterday, re-appointed chairman Noel Garcia explained that while the Port has reflected a growth rate of 29 percent in transshipment business and an eight percent reduction in domestic cargo, it has been plagued with three major challenges, which include ineffective management structure, inadequate infrastructure and equipment (physical capacity) and low productivity.

He said things must be addressed within the immediate short/medium term in order to increase the level of efficiency, progress to a higher level of productivity and meet international requirements and generally stay on course with the Port’s vision. He noted that the Authority is aware of the need to triple its efforts in the short term (three - six months) and in the medium term (nine - twelve months) to meet these challenges. In the area of low productivity, Garcia explained that the most significant contributors are people and systems deficiencies. To deal with these, the authority will be embarking on a joint team initiative between the PATT and the SWWTU in August 2004.

It will also be looking at employees’ pension plans and will be implementing the CTMS, with vessel, yard and gate modules scheduled for October and the radio frequency (wireless connectivity) in December. In addition to this, the authority will be looking at putting measures in place to deal with customer retention. The project includes a customised strategy for the top five lines, customer call programme, review of transshipment tariff rates, engaging of stakeholders’ support and the implementation of productivity guarantees, all scheduled to take place sometime this month. With regard to the physical infrastructure/upgrade and expansion, the authority will be embarking on a road-paving project estimated to be completed within three - four months, begin relocation of Sheds 9 and 10, in addition to which Berth 7 should be completed by October.

Equipment availability is another area that is expected to improve with the award of a contract for the acquisition of several pieces of equipment including ship to shore gantry, flat rack handling lift, ECH, reach stackers, tractor trailers (bomb carts) and tractor trucks. Garcia also stated that the authority will be engaging in port operations consultations to deal with personnel organisation structures and other managerial issues between October 2004 and February 2005. The inter-island ferry service would also be dealt with, noted Garcia, with the dry-docking of the MF Panorama scheduled for some time between August and September, reception and commissioning of the fast ferry service, improvements to the fare structure for the fast ferry in November and the  acquisition of a conventional ferry in February 2005.