Argonaftis aims to ease logjam
• Green light awaited to launch roll-on, roll-off service for ports
Argonaftis Shipping says it is just weeks away from easing SA’s logistics problems when it launches its roll-on and roll-off vessels at the country’s ports in a bid to ease cargo bottlenecks. The vessels allow trucks and trailers and other vehicles to be rolled on and off ships without the need for cranes.
Argonaftis Shipping says it is just weeks away from easing SA’s logistics problems when it launches its roll-on and roll-off (ro-ro) vessels at the country’s ports in a bid to ease cargo bottlenecks that are worsened by the ailing railway system and congested road networks.
“Talks have been in progress with Transnet for seven months. Cape All ports Town, are”on said board, CEO except William for Greig. “As soon as we have finalised arrangements with the Port of Cape Town, we will be able to implement the project within 90 days.”
Looking to service Durban, Cape Town, Maputo, Gqeberha and Walvis Bay, the ro-ro vessels allow trucks and trailers and other vehicles to be rolled on and off ships — removing the need for cranes and reducing it for direct road freight services, which can be time-consuming, costly and unpredictable.
A combination of lockdowns in several countries worldwide, labour shortages, robust demand for tradable goods, disruptions to logistics networks and capacity constraints have plagued the country’s ports since the lockdowns.
Port and rail operator Transnet has been struggling to lift efficiencies, resulting in delays that affect the balance sheets of exporters and importers.
The ro-ro system is already deployed in northern and southern Europe to transport goods to ports of a single nation or adjacent countries, Greig said. The short-sea shipping approach could crack SA’s logistical nightmare and bring cost savings to the government and businesses while reducing the growing number of trucks congesting the country’s main roads.
Short-sea shipping does not transit oceans or deep waters but rather uses coastal and inland waterways and is touted by the Greece-based maritime company as a viable solution to not only reduce road traffic congestion but also air pollution.
The savings using this method depend on volumes, the type of goods, and whether it is a vehicle or a trailer.
“Operational costs are reduced by the fact that trucks will have shorter journeys when 80%-90% of the journey is via ferry,” Greig said. “This therefore substantially reduces usage and general wear and tear on vehicles, which promotes longevity and/or greater resale value at the end of the vehicle purchase contract.”
The company says ro-ro ferries are not a competitor to road freight businesses but serve as a complementary partner.
Greig highlighted that insurers also support the short-sea shipping idea with huge discounts offered on premiums to fleet haulage firms.
“Argonaftis can provide journeys that don’t require stops: therefore drivers and loads will be safer using our service and logistics companies desire it, as their cargo will be at less risk from the external forces of road haulage over vast distances.”
According to European statistics, short-sea shipping uses 1% of the energy consumption and produce 12.1% of the emissions related to the European transport sector. Short-sea shipping made up 60.4% of the total sea transport of goods to and from the main EU ports in 2020, with almost 1.7-billion tonnes of goods transported this way.