Durban Port faces severe congestion, with vessel delays reaching 20 days, impacting global supply chains and cargo owners significantly.
South Africa's largest container hub, the Port of Durban, is facing severe congestion, with vessel delays at the Durban Gamechangers Terminal (DGT) reaching 10 days and warnings of up to 20-day delays from some carriers.
While the NAVIS N4 system upgrade was successfully implemented on 26 August, the backlog created during the transition remains unresolved. Ongoing challenges include equipment shortages, yard congestion, and slow landside cargo evacuation, turning Durban's issues into a broader operational crisis.
As of 25 August, vessel delays of 10 days were reported, with some service lines experiencing even longer wait times. Certain containers discharged as early as 11 August were still stranded by 25 August. Cargo evacuation remains slow despite extended free storage periods. Portcast data showed a median vessel waiting time of 3.29 days from 16 to 22 August, though delays at different operational stages could reach 20 days. The congestion stems from restricted terminal operations and challenges in landside cargo collection.
Carriers like Maersk and CMA CGM have begun omitting Durban from schedules. By 7 August, ships bound for Port Louis, Mauritius, skipped calls due to delays in Durban, rerouting cargo via Tanjung Pelepas to protect schedules. These omissions disrupt cargo owners, leading to delays in transhipment, repositioning of empty containers, and final delivery commitments. More carriers may follow suit if the congestion persists, further impacting global supply chains.
The crisis began during the NAVIS N4 system upgrade, which halted landside operations and created significant backlogs. From 10 to 16 August, throughput dropped by 26%, processing just 25,800 TEUs compared to the previous week. Equipment shortages, yard congestion, and poor coordination have worsened the situation. While DGT's COO Grant Bahlmann assured stakeholders that the NAVIS system is now stable, he acknowledged that clearing the backlog and restoring normal operations will take time.
Cargo owners should reconfirm vessel ETAs and berthing arrangements, verify cargo collection appointments, and monitor changes to free time, detention, and demurrage policies. For urgent shipments, consider alternative routing options, such as different ports, adjusted transhipments, or inland transport solutions.
