CARGO HANDLED IN SA PORTS DURING 1995

Issued by: Portnet

NEWS RELEASE

20 February 1996

CARGO HANDLED IN SA PORTS DURING 1995

Portnet handled a record of 139,5 million tons of cargo during 1995. This is 4,5 per cent up on the budgeted volume, and 9,32 per cent up on the total for 1994.

Exports (114,1 million tons) constitutes 81,80 per cent of the total volume of cargo handled - 5,7 per cent up on the 1994 export volume of 108,01 million tons. The Port of Richards Bay handled 63,89 per cent of the total Portnet export volume.

Imports (20,7 million tons) realised a 32,9 per cent increase compared to the 15,6 million ton import volume of 1994. The Port of Durban's imports constituted 58,7 per cent of the total Portnet imports.

Coastwise traffic (1,97 million tons) showed a considerable drop of 21,5 per cent compared to the 1994 volume of 2,5 million tons.

Transshipment cargo (2,7 million tons) showed a marked increase of 79,3 per cent on the 1994 volume of 1,5 million tons as a result of the consolidation of shipping trade routes.

1 374 608 TEUs were handled by the South African ports during the year under review. This is 25,04 per cent up on the previous year's figure of 1 102 016. The Port of Durban, boasting the largest container terminal in Africa, handled 868 560 TEUs during 1994 - 19,93 per cent up on their 1994 figure of 724 199, and 63,19 per cent of the total number of TEUs handled by Portnet during 1995.

A total of 13 285 vessels docked at the eight South African ports during the year under review. The Port of Durban was the busiest with 5 242 vessels, followed by the Port of Cape Town with 3 669 vessels.

The gross registered tonnage for 1995 was 515 277 951 - 9,51 per cent up on the corresponding figure for 1994.

Should you have any queries in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact:

Pieter Smit Tel: 773-7299 Fax: 773-8304