Severe weather conditions along South Africa’s coastline have led to a significant decline in container throughput, reaching its lowest levels in weeks, according to the latest Cargo Movement Update compiled by the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff) and Business Unity SA (Busa).
For the week ending April 12, commercial ports processed an average of 6,180 containers per day, a notable decrease from the previous week’s figure of 8,061 containers.
This decline underscores the impact of adverse weather, equipment breakdowns, and system failures on port operations.
The Port of Cape Town bore the brunt of nature’s wrath, experiencing over 60 hours of operational downtime. In Durban, delays were primarily attributed to equipment breakdowns, system failures, and adverse weather.
Similar stormy conditions affected operations at the ports of East London and Port Elizabeth (Gqberha), with strong winds, rain, and vessel ranging disrupting activities.
At the Port of Richards Bay, approximately 30 operational hours were lost due to high swells and poor weather conditions.
Rail freight operations reported minimal incidents for the same period, with no major disruptions on the Container Corridor (ConCor) line from the Port of Durban to Gauteng.
However, year-on-year levels on the ConCor line have decreased by 9%, despite a 17% increase in domestic cargo.
The adverse weather conditions highlight the challenges faced by South African ports and underscore the importance of implementing strategies to mitigate the impact of such disruptions on trade operations.
