Cape Town Terminal starts Dual Cycle operations

In order to further improve productivity and efficiency at its Cape Town Terminal, Transnet Port Terminals has implemented Dual Cycle operations, where containers are discharged and loaded simultaneously from a vessel using ship-to-shore cranes.
 
This internationally recognised practise lends itself to faster operation and savings by minimising empty trips for both haulers and cranes, and reducing vessel turnaround time.

The challenges associated with Dual Cycle include identifying suitable vessels with an even split of exports and imports, and resourcing the terminal appropriately for quicker productivity and smarter planning of the stack.

Dual Cycle was piloted at the Cape Town Terminal in early-October as a collaborative initiative between TPT and Maersk.

The terminal has since worked three vessels with the Dual Cycle operation, the most recent being the Maersk Dryden November 3rd  -  when the terminal achieved a 41% improvement on its average GCH (container moves per gross crane hour).