Maersk has issued a warning that there may be delays in ship operations along the coast of South Africa owing to unfavorable weather conditions.Read More
Table of Contents
ToggleShipping Delays
The shipping company Moller-Maersk has issued a warning that shipping delays are likely to occur as a result of extreme weather conditions and a storm surge that is hammering the coast of South Africa.
South African Weather to worsen
According to a forecast released by the South African Weather Service on Sunday, a strong cold front that is bringing snow to certain regions of the country is causing destructive coastal winds, showers, and waves that endanger some of the country’s infrastructure.
Another factor that could make navigation challenging in certain offshore regions is the presence of high-speed winds.
As ships attempt to avoid being attacked in the Red Sea, there has been a rise in the number of vessels that use this route.
Container Shipping Industry and vessels movement
The disturbance has been felt most sharply in the container shipping industry, which is currently experiencing approximately 690 boats going around the Cape of Good Hope despite the inconvenience.
The circumstances “will impact vessel movement and operations” along the South African coastline during the next few days, particularly between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, which is where the most severe impact may occur, according to a statement released by Maersk on Monday. “Vessels are expected to seek shelter/alter their course to avoid the impacted areas, please expect delays over the next few days.”
The logistics business Transnet, which is owned by the state of South Africa, is already having trouble improving the operation of its ports, attracting private investment, and upgrading equipment that is better able to function in adverse weather conditions.
The harbors are ranked among the worst in the world, according to research conducted by the World Bank, the methodology of which is contested by Transnet.
Heavy rainfall and gale-to-strong gale force winds from the north-westerly to westerly direction were among the conditions that the South African Weather Service forecasted would be present through Monday. Waves of up to 10 meters were expected to be present in the southwest.
