22nd Feb 2022
What to Expect When You’re Expecting… Disruptions, in the world of logistics!
Had you there didn’t I? But, I am just here with a snapshot of what’s happening in the world around us.
Local Ports
CAPE TOWN PORT
No significant improvement in Cape Town with manpower shortages and equipment problems an ongoing concern. High traffic volumes continue in the Cape Town terminals and the challenges created by the port booking system continue.
Winds are expected on the 13th, 16th and 17th of February 2022.
Cape Town CFS is experiencing high cargo and container volumes, Carriers have advised that the Cape Town port operations and delays are negatively impacting vessel schedules.
Vessel berthing waiting times:
- CTCT : 7 days
- CTMPT : 3 days
DURBAN PORT
Pier 2 has been heavily congested in the past week, NAVIS updates have been slow and transporters continue to experience challenges in obtaining bookings. Notice issued by TPT on 10th February 2022 and attached for reference purposes.
Terminals are experiencing very high traffic volumes.
Winds are expected on the 14th, 16th and 18th of February 2022.
Durban CFS is experiencing very high cargo and container volumes; however the severe congestion experienced in December and January has eased and operations are proceeding as normal. IDMs between Durban and Johannesburg are operating as normal.
Vessel berthing waiting times:
- Pier 1 : 1 – 2 days
- Pier 2 : 2 – 3 days
- Durban Point : 3 – 4 days
PORT ELIZABETH / COEGA
Reports have indicated that both ports in Gqeberha are fully operational.
Winds are expected on the 12th, 15th and 16th of February 2022.
Port Elizabeth CFS is experiencing high cargo volumes, however operations are proceeding smoothly and all IDMs are running as scheduled.
Vessel berthing waiting times:
- Coega : 0 – 24 hours
- Port Elizabeth : 0 – 12 hours
DALRRD: Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
A notice has been issued with regards to compliance with the new Methyl bromide usage procedure in South Africa. Please have read through the attached. Please also have a look at the Phytclean newsletter for updates to the Phytclean platform.
Unfortunately, we are all still on tenterhooks waiting for an update to the proposed new requirements for export of Citrus to the EU. In this case, it seems no news is just no news, but we will advise as soon as anything becomes available.
CAPACITY:
Capacity, congestion, equipment shortages, vessel delays, schedule amendments, increased lead times and the resulting delays are being experienced on all trades into and out of South Africa. We continue to see congestion and delays in our ports, as well as majority of ports around the world. Vessel schedule integrity is strained and subject to change without notice. GoReefers however, is still pushing conventional loads into Europe, so please speak to either your log manager or CSM about the availability.
International
The countdown is on for Fruit Logistica Berlin taking place 5-7 April 2022.
Kai Mangelberger, Director of FRUIT LOGISTICA, is convinced that the decision to move FRUIT LOGISTICA 2022 to April has proved to be the right one: “In the last two months we have received positive feedback from our exhibitors, who clearly confirmed our new dates in April. So compared with 2020, more than 70 per cent of main exhibitors will participate in FRUIT LOGISTICA. We sense that the industry has a strong desire and need to meet in person. With all this support and commitment, FRUIT LOGISTICA will pay off for everyone.” A total of around 2,000 exhibitors from 80 countries are expected in Berlin.
Please make contact with you CSM if you would like to schedule some face time at the fair.
First lemon exports head for China
“South Africa’s first major consignment of lemons headed to China under a new trade protocol was loaded for export at the Maydon Wharf Fruit Terminal at Durban port on Thursday.
Minister of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, and MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Nonkqubela Pieters, oversaw the inspection of the first few pallets of 100 000 lemons, produced in Limpopo, before they were loaded onto the vessel. This is under the new Chinese lemon protocol, which has been under negotiation since 2015, was an important agreement because it opened up major export opportunities for lemons.”
UK Transport problems looking better
Light at the end of the tunnel? UK driver shortage crisis eases
However, in Canada, as the Canadian trucker protest moves into its second week, the impact on significant import/export trade lanes continues.
Then, our thoughts and prayers go out to the owners of the $401 million worth of luxury cars on board the Felicity Ace that caught fire last week near the Azores on Wednesday evening. The wait will be excruciating I’m sure.
Abandoned burning ship ‘had $400m cargo of luxury cars’
