Update: 05.05.2023
The conflict in Sudan reached its 20-day mark yesterday with no signs of resolution. An advisory issued today by Maersk informed customers that while it is not receiving bookings for Sudan, it has been facing difficulties processing clearance of existing goods.
Sudan's customs and Central Bank systems are currently down, says the carrier, making the movement of containers into and out of Sudan Port difficult. At the same time, customers are unable to process payments for the release of their goods.
Sudan’s main port has now become a place of refuge for people away from the conflict in the city. It has also been utilized for the evacuation of foreign nationals to nearby coastal cities.
Both Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd continue to suspend the receipt of bookings for Sudan until the political conflict eases.
Original article: 26.04.2023
The political situation in Sudan escalated in the past few days, directly impacting cargo movement and logistics operations. The country has been experiencing violent clashes between various military factions since mid-April.
While the media reported that the Port of Sudan remained stable and generally unaffected by the unrest, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have announced they stopped taking new bookings for Sudan. Several shipping companies also chose to close their offices for the safety of their staff.
Meanwhile, countries have been taking steps to evacuate their diplomats from Sudan. Since leaving the country through Sudanese airports is dangerous, governments are evacuating their nationals through the Sudan Port.
According to an article by the BBC, “more than 150 people - mostly citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan and Canada - were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.” The BBC added that one of the evacuees told the media that a long line of vehicles carrying international citizens was heading towards the port.
Economic activity is expected to return to normal in the country once the conflict is resolved. However, the situation remains volatile in the meantime, with news about talks between opposing parties.
