Welcome to our February edition of the Global Logistics Update, your essential guide to staying ahead in the dynamic world of international trade. From port congestion updates and emerging market trends to regulatory changes and industry insights, we will provide you with information needed to navigate the complexities of global logistics and optimize your company supply chain.
South African Ports
South African ports are integral to our economy, facilitating the movement of goods domestically and internationally, acting as key hubs across Southern Africa. Managed by Transnet National Ports Authority, these ports support a variety of cargo types, including bulk commodities, containers, liquid fuels, and automotive products. The primary ports include Durban, Cape Town, Richards Bay, Ngqura, Port Elizabeth, Port of East London and Saldanha Bay, each with varying degrees of challenges and advancements. We expand on our three main ports as summarised on a weekly basis below:
We highlight in these images vessels currently at anchorage pending berth at our 3 main ports. Port congestion and delays have been reported with Durban at 10 days, Cape Town at 6 days and Coega at 4 days on average.
Transnet’s Anchorage Report 03/02/2025 for Durban – Vessels waiting to berth
South African ports, particularly the major ones like Durban and Cape Town, are currently grappling with a multitude of challenges that are impacting their efficiency and overall performance. Ports suffer from outdated and poorly maintained equipment, inadequate infrastructure and inefficient operations which contribute to significant port congestion. The South African government and port authorities are taking steps to address these issues, including investing into infrastructure upgrades.
Cosatu, economists welcome drop in interest rates
Economists and trade unions have welcomed the latest interest rate cut, saying it will stimulate economic growth, but have warned that the SA Reserve Bank (Sarb) may remain hawkish regarding any further cuts this year.
https://www.freightnews.co.za/article/cosatu-economists-welcome-drop-interest-rates
Port productivity continues positive trend
Despite concerns, the return to business after the festive break has put limited pressure on port and landside infrastructure.
https://www.freightnews.co.za/article/port-productivity-continues-positive-trend
Global Ports
Port Updates:
Ports play an important role in maintaining the effectiveness of maritime logistics. When ports encounter congestion, strikes or natural disasters, the maritime container network might be significantly affected. Global port congestion is a complex issue, and we therefore only review basic routing, infrastructure demands and vessel berthing delays.
AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS
Angola/Kenya/Tanzania – Berthing delays of 3-7 days experienced at main ports
Mauritius – Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Port Louis
Other ports minimal 2 days berthing delays.
NORTH AMERICA
Canada
Montreal/Toronto/Vancouver – Berthing delays of 4-8 days experienced at main ports
USA
Charleston/Miami/Houston – Berthing delays of 3-4 days experienced at main ports
Oakland/Norfolk/Savannah – Berthing delays of 5-7 days experienced at main ports
Other ports minimal 2 days berthing delays.
LATIN AMERICA
Argentina/Brazil/Mexico – Berthing delays of 2-3 days experienced at main ports
NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN
Extreme Weather conditions are expected in the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. This will severely impact vessel movement and port operations and might cause delays to South Africa bound vessels and vessels sailing North to Rotterdam/London.
Belgium/France/Germany/Italy/Netherlands – Berthing delays of 3-7 days experienced at main ports
UK – Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at London Gateway Port
* Ongoing strikes in Le Havre with minimal impact on operations. Strike pattern is 4 hours’ operational disruptions on 3 separate days.
INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT & MIDDLE EAST
India/UAE/Sri Lanka – Berthing delays of 3-7 days experienced at main ports
ASIA PACIFIC (Including Oceania)
China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan will celebrate the Chinese New Year from the 28 January – 5 February 2025, while Korea, Singapore and South-East Asia will celebrate the “Lunar New Year” on the 29 January 2025. During this period, partners offices will be closed and trucking for collections and deliveries will be affected.
A pre-Lunar New Year Cargo rush and bad weather caused vessel bunching and congestion across major Asian Ports, leading to berthing delays of up to 5 days. The worst affected Ports include Shanghai, Tokyo, Ningbo, Busan and Manila, although the lengths of delays varies by container line.
Singapore – Berthing delay of 2 days with an expected 1-2 week transshipment delay.
Cosco has reported severe backlogs at present with over 2 week delays.
Shipping stocks slide as White House confirms tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico
A white house confirmation of US tariffs against China, Mexico and Canada sent the broader market and shipping stocks into a slide on Friday afternoon in New York.
Disruption: global traders savvy up with new supply chain smarts
Nearshoring and the downstream beneficiation potential for entrepreneurship and job creation by “keeping it local” have become a growing mitigation strategy among retailers and manufacturers, protecting their business interests against supply chain disruption.
https://www.freightnews.co.za/article/disruption-global-traders-savvy-new-supply-chain-smarts
Freight News
We understand the importance of staying up to date with the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in our industry and we wish to highlight just a few articles which you might find of interest.
Transporter refutes arrests made during raid
https://www.freightnews.co.za/article/transporter-refutes-arrests-made-during-raid
India Plans to Spend $3 Billion to Support its Maritime Sector
AD Ports launches operations in Luanda
https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports-logistics/ad-ports-launches-operations-in-luanda
Shippers ‘happy to pay top dollar’ for guaranteed price and capacity
https://theloadstar.com/shippers-happy-to-pay-top-dollar-for-guaranteed-price-and-capacity
AI set to tackle Increasingly complex logistics challenges
Lack of legacy sees Africa surge in tech uptake
Trump’s Oil Tariffs A Boost For European And Asian Refiners
https://gcaptain.com/trumps-oil-tariffs-a-boost-for-european-and-asian-refiners/
Sources & References
Seatrade Maritime / Loadstar / Freight News / GoComet / Maersk / Openpr / Transnet / WeFreight / MSC / AfricaPorts / Container Statistics / Flexport / SACO / Hellenic Shipping / Worldcargonews/ Maritime Executive / GCaptain