| dc.description.abstract | Although the Bay of Natal had been sighted by Vasco da
Gama in 1497 it was not until Lieutenant Farewell and
Henry Francis Fynn obtained a document from Shaka giving
them possession of the bay that the harbour was developed.
The early years of the harbour can be seen as a struggle
against the sand-bar over the entrance of the harbour.
This problem was overcome by the building of two break-waters as well as the dredging of the sand-bar. Through
the years Durban harbour developed from a discharge port
to a shipping port. Today Durban harbour is the biggest
harbour in the country and handles approximately 40 per
cent of all goods handled at all the harbours of South
Africa. With the development of the harbour came massive
development in the shipping industry. Ships developed
from sail boats carrying all kinds of cargo to massive
modern ships designed to carry a specific type of cargo.
The South African harbours are controlled by the South
African Railways Administration and are governed by the
Railways and Harbours Control and Management (Consolidation) Act, 1957 (Act no. 70 of 1957). A brief description
of the main discharging cost of ships in the Durban harbour is as follows:
Port dues -
All ships are liable for the payment of port dues at each
port of call when entering the limits of the harbour. A
prescribed rate is applied for each metric ton of the gross
register tonnage of the ship depending on the duration of
the stay of the ship in the port.
Light dues -
Light dues are payable by all ships at the first port of
call for each voyage for the whole coast of the Republic
of South Africa and South West Africa. Light dues are
charged at a prescribed rate for each metric ton of the
gross register tonnage of the ship.
Tug charges -
All ships making use of this service have to pay a charge
calculated at a half hourly rate with a minimum charge as
for one hour for the duration of the service. In addition to the charges maintained for tugs rendering assistance
and/or attendance to ships entering or leaving the harbour,
ships are also liable for the payment of charges for the
conveyance of a pilot to or from the outer anchorage as
well as for the services performed by the berthing staff
to berth the ship at its allocated berth. In addition,
charges are also maintained for the running of the ship's
lines.
Crane charges -
Ships are compelled to use the cranes provided by the
Administration and charges are calculated on a hourly basis
from the time cranes are ordered or from the time they
are allocated to the ship, which ever is the later.
The minimum period for which crane hire is payable is two
running hours.
Labour charges -
An hourly charge per gang for the period the ship is involved with cargo handling operation is maintained. When
cargo is worked outside working hours, a different charge
per gang is payable for the period that cargo is worked
outside the prescribed port working hours.
Special equipment charges -
Such charges are payable by the ships for the period these
facilities are occupied and charges are maintained for
24-hour periods on the gross register tonnage of a ship.
In addition, charges are also made for the supply of fresh
and salt water, compressed air and for the hire of equipment used for the repair and painting of ships.
Above mentioned costs are divided into five groups onto
the ships account. The groups are: port dues, light dues,
marine costs, cranes and labour. Marine cost includes
the costs of tugs, pilotage, berthing cost, running of the
ships lines, special equipment charges, water and other
services. | en_US |
