Adverse weather conditions and other operational factors have been lowering the handling capacity at South African ports. Vessels at Durban and Cape Town ports are experiencing waiting times of up to 12 days.

According to Kuehne+Nagel sources, shipping lines are adjusting their sailing schedules to maintain reliability amidst longer transit times and vehicle shortages.

In addition to the weather conditions, vessel delays at the Port of Durban are caused by crane malfunctions and persistent yard congestion. Vessel delays at Pier 1 extend to 10 days, while the delay could reach 12 days at Pier 2.

Waiting times for ships to berth at the Cape Town container terminal extend to 12 days. The terminal is suffering from labour and equipment issues, as well as regular crane malfunctions and intermittent work stoppages due to heavy winds.

Seaexplorer data shows the 7-day average vessel waiting time at Cape Town port reached 4.4 days and nearly 7 days at Durban Port. However, some vessels are waiting for longer, with delays exceeding one week for individual ships.