ports

South Africa's Durban Terminal Seeks Presidential Intervention as Container Backlog Spirals

Severe congestion at Durban Gateway Terminal has prompted South African officials to escalate to the presidency. The port is managing a substantial cargo backlog while transitioning to the Navis N4 container management system, compounded by widespread equipment failures. Carriers are notifying customers of potential delays exceeding one week. MSC cautioned that August's seasonal wind patterns pose additional operational risks, with terminal productivity plummeting to roughly one-third of normal capacity. Multiple quay cranes face reliability problems from aging infrastructure, while straddle carrier shortages further constrain operations. The South African Association of Freight Forwarders linked the disruptions directly to the system migration. Despite acknowledged investment plans, the port has deployed no new equipment to address the bottleneck.