Brosh: Anarchy reigns over the Israeli ports sector

Brosh: "Some ships leave the ports without unloading their cargo. As a result, raw material for industry and the business sector is not reaching its destination”

Following harsh criticism by Manufacturers Association president Shraga Brosh on the way the government handled the port crisis, the Minister of Transport Shaul Mofaz called last Friday an emergency meeting attended by all major economic organizations.
 
Brosh sent earlier last week a letter to Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz calling him to intervene personally in order to put an end to what he described as the "scandal of the seaports."
 
Brosh also noted that, “On the basis of a discussion with the director general of your Ministry, it is apparent that you have no idea what is going on at the ports and you have no control over the events. The so-called ports reform, aimed at improving their efficiency, prices and service, is bankrupt. Except for adding a few more jobs for public servants, nothing has happened at the ports.”
 
Brosh also said that due to ports inefficiencies many vessels being forced to wait for a period of 8 to 14 days outside the ports. "Some ships leave the ports without unloading their cargo. As a result, raw material for industry and the business sector is not reaching its destination,".
The delays, he said, add over US$15 million in costs to port users.
 
Last Thursday a history was made when for the first time since port reforms were enacted all bodies relying on port services held a, emergency joint conference to discuss the deterioration of the ports' functioning.
 
Oded Feller, president of the Haifa Chamber of Commerce, said: "Mofaz is the only one responsible for the situation. If he can't solve the problem prevailing at the ports, he should leave his position because the situation of the ports is only growing worse."
 
Transport Minister promised to have the situation discussed in the Government weekly meeting held yesterday.