Please see full article relating to a Media Statement from The South African Association of Freight Forwarders.
“SAAFF’s media statement on the current logistics crisis: There are currently 96 vessels waiting at anchorage outside our commercial ports, directly costing the economy R98 million a day in direct, sunken costs, at least R26 million a day in indirect costs, and impeding at least R7 billion worth of goods from moving every day.”
South Africa’s commercial ports – and, by implication, its extended end-to-end logistics network – are currently in a crisis. Furthermore, the crisis is arguably more significant than the October strike of last year, as the massive economic cost of 96 vessels currently waiting outside our ports at anchorage cannot be understated. The current situation must be put into perspective.
Despite being in a crisis, port operations in the last week were once again bedevilled by poor weather conditions, as well as equipment breakdowns and shortages. Nevertheless, there has been an improvement in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth; however, Durban terminals remain severely delayed – currently at around nine days.
