To ensure our customers are kept informed during this period of high operational volatility, here is our latest update on conditions across the terminals and mitigating actions being taken to address the delays on our services. After some markers of improvement through June and into July, performance across South African terminals has deteriorated. Equipment downtime – quay and yard - remains the leading cause reducing productivity, driving port congestion. Winter weather patterns in Cape Town are beginning to ease with more benign weather forecast as we transition into Spring. DCT remains the major terminal bottleneck with waiting time at +10-16 days. Gate appointments remain highly constrained.

Ports and Terminals Situation

Terminal Commentary
Terminal
Cape Town CTCT
Commentary
  • Waiting time at 2-4 days
  • The waiting time has increased due to heavy winter weather patterns.
  • 4 ex 9 STS cranes under M&R
  • Productivity below target.
Terminal
Cape Town MPT
Commentary
  • 1-2 days delay
  • Productivity target has been met.
  • The waiting time has increased due to heavy winter weather patterns.
Terminal
Port Elizabeth PECT
Commentary
  • 2-4 days delay-some wind delays forecast over weekend and until the 21st.
  • 2x STS (ship to shore) and 1x MHC operational are fully operational.
  • Productivity exceeding target rates.
Terminal
Port Elizabeth COE
Commentary
  • 1-5 days waiting time- some wind delays forecast over weekend.
  • Productivity rate below target.
  • 8 cranes operational– with crane no 4 under maintenance.
Terminal
Durban DCT Pier 2
Commentary
  • 10-16 days delay.
  • Clear week ahead in terms of weather.
  • Productivity remains well below target.
  • Persistent equipment breakdowns and reduced straddle (STR) operational
  • Terminal recovery expected in the next 3-4 months due to equipment reliability and availability.
Terminal
Durban Pier 1
Commentary
  • Waiting time 7-9 days
  • Poor STS and RTG reliability and availability
  • Productivity below target
  • Recovery estimated in 2 weeks.
Terminal
Port Louis (Mauritius)
Commentary
  • Waiting time is 0-1 day- some wind delays
  • Productivity well above target.
Terminal
Rail DUR to JNB (City Deep and GLO Denver)
Commentary
  • Fully operational
Terminal
Rail JNB (City Deep and GLO Denver) to DUR
Commentary
  • Fully operational
Terminal Commentary
Terminal
Depots
Commentary

Vessel Operations

We will minimize delays through network actions and contingencies to compensate for delays in cargo arrival and export loading . All imports will be discharged and load movements (full and empty) may be reduced depending on productivity achieved versus the pro forma and the required departure times. Upon departure from South Africa, our vessels shall sail at full speed to make up for lost time and ensure the timely arrival at the destination. The table below outlines current plans and decisions. (Please refer to Maersk.com for the most up to date schedule updates)

Service Commentary
Service
SAECS (278)
Commentary
  • Exports: Space available and SPOT bookings open - restrictions on 20GP
  • Imports: space available SPOT booking open.
  • COEGA - Some port congestion and bad weather. 0+3 days delays on future vessels
  • DURBAN P1 - Weather and equipment down time - vessels berthing with delay up to 9 days.
  • CAPE TOWN - Weather delays plus STS down time.2-4-day delay into Europe
    • CPT omissions ONE Readiness / 243N Cape Town Omission
Service
AMEX (040)
Commentary
  • Exports: space available SPOT bookings open.
  • Imports: space available SPOT bookings open
  • DURBAN P1 waiting time is 5- 6 days. To make window AMEX may call Durban first prior Port Elizabeth.
  • PECT /COEGA (NCT) – AMEX may call either PECT or NCT depending on berth availability.
  • CAPE TOWN CTCT - Due to upstream delays and bad weather, expect delays. Vessels are expected to call CTCT until end of September.
Service
SAFARI (160)
Commentary
  • Exports: full and closed for all new bookings. Reopen week 41.
  • Imports: full and closed next 4 weeks.
  • Service rotation – SAF - FEA Trade/ Safari Service – reduced capacity deployed on service in response to service delays. Service closed for new export bookings. Current active bookings may experience delay/roll as result of smaller vessel deployment.
  • DURBAN DCT - Current berth delay for SAFARI is 10 days. Productivity remains a challenge with STS and STR constraints.
  • PORT LOUIS WB call - 1–2-day late arrival. GSL DORTHEA is 2 days late.
Service
Cape Town Express (163)
Commentary
  • Exports: Space available and SPOT bookings open ex Cape Town to FEA
  • Imports: Space available and SPOT bookings ex PORT LOUIS
  • On time arrival/departure ensuring integrity of transhipment connection at PORT LOUIS with M-EXPRESS (for Cape Town exports to Far East) and with SAFARI (for Cape Town imports from Far East and local Islands)
Service
MW1 and PROTEA (251)
Commentary
  • PROTEA Exports: full and closed for all new bookings. Reopen week 37.
  • PROTEA Imports: full and closed next 4 weeks.
    MW1 Exports: space available SPOT booking open ex CPT and PLZ
  • PROTEA heavily delayed into DURBAN DCT – with waiting time up to 16 days. Split terminal calls and/or terminal swaps at Durban assessed to reduce waiting time.
  • STANLEY A 434N will call Point terminal to perform all cargo operations (load and discharge call will be at Point terminal)
  • MW1 service experiencing some delays ex West Africa and with berthing delays at both Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, port omissions may be required to recover schedule and onward Middle East connections.

Export bookings.

  • Open for business – with some restrictions SAFARI and PROTEA exports.
  • Maersk can to offer staging and transport solutions, to counter constraints in rail and truck modes.

Imports

  • Open for business – with some restrictions SAFARI and PROTEA imports.
  • With constraints at Durban DCT and P1 terminal trucking appointments, we can provide options for land transportation and staging as well as “back of port” solutions. Please reach out to your Sales and CX advisors for further information.
  • To counter potential import delays – we can offer products to mitigate this risk: -
    • Free time Extension – a discounted free time product that may be purchased as late as ETA +1 day.
    • Consignee Free time Extension Product. This innovative feature allows purchase of additional discounted free time directly when processing an SSDO online.

https://www.maersk.com/transportation-services/ocean-transport/freetime-extension

We thank you for your patience during this period and reassure you that we are reachable through all our usual communication channels.

We kindly request that you continue to pay attention to our customer advisories during this time. For any queries, kindly reach out to our Customer Experience teams and visit our website Maersk.com.

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