LONDON: Economic growth prospects for Africa over the next 50 years present both opportunities and challenges for port terminal operators, writes Transnet Port Terminals chief executive Karl Socikwa.
The International Transport Forum Transport Outlook 2015 estimates that trade between African countries will increase by 715 percent between now and 2050. International freight transport volumes are also expected to grow by 200 percent over the same period. This is not altogether surprising as volumes of trade through port terminals have to grow to sustain economic growth, jobs and food security across Africa.
Effectively this means that we, as port operators, have to look beyond the terminal gates in order to ensure the future sustainability of our operations and the local economy and that we have to take cognisance of the various challenges, including the health risks, that come with the predicted necessary expansions.
Our challenge is to sustainably support growth in trade between African countries as this will have a significant impact on the environment with shipping-related emissions in ports predicted to increase by the same percentage. That is if shipping companies, port authorities, freight companies and terminal operators continue with business as usual.
It is only once terminal operators and city management start working more closely together that we will find solutions. The danger is real. Increased emissions have the potential to severely impact the lives of people around port cities.
