High Cube Containers – More Input Needed Before Implementing Changes
The road freight industry was in an uproar when news came that the transport of 40 Foot High Cube Containers by normal trucks will be banned on South African roads. Since the news first broke, there has been much speculation and sometimes confusion about what the rules entail.
Meanwhile, we have learned that the Minister of Transport, Dr. Blade Nzimande, met with representatives of the freight logistics value chain to deal with the implementations of the proposed regulations on high cube containers.
Minister Nzimande was joined by officials from the Department of Transport, Port Regulator, Transnet Port Terminal, SANRAL and representatives of the Western Cape government.
The issue with High Cube Containers
The meeting discussed the implementation of regulation 224 (b) of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000 under the National Road Traffic Act, of 1996. The regulations provide that no vehicle, other than double-decker buses, may exceed an overall height limit, including load projections, of 4.3m. The overall height of a High Cube Container is 2.9m, compared to the 2.6m for a standard container. This means that a vehicle transporting a standard container, with an overall height of 4.3m, would not be permitted to transport a high cube container.
During the meeting it was decided to put together an inclusive Technical Task Team, represented by the Department of Transport officials and the industry, to facilitate and ensure that the unintended consequences of the lapse are minimised before the expiration of the present moratorium. It was also decided to place a moratorium on the application of punitive measures and that Law Enforcement Agencies collect data only for the purposes of the smooth transition when the period expires. This moratorium will be in effect from 01 January 2019 to 01 January 2020.
The Task Team is expected to report progress on its work, including the research to be led by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in June 2018.
Minister Nzimande reiterated that he had to consider the role of both the road freight and maritime industries in driving confidence in South Africa’s economy and help spur sustainable and inclusive growth. He also said that the industry must use this temporary relief to ensure that they adhere to all the laws of the country, which are aimed at levelling the playing ground for all economic variables, without degrading public infrastructure such as road and other services.
With High Cube Containers playing an integral role in the maritime- and road freight industries, it’s important that all stakeholders are consulted and that a workable solution is found before the end of the moratorium. We will keep you updated on all further developments.