THE severe dockworker strike in South Africa that has paralysed operations at Durban and Cape Town since October 6 is leading carriers to skip calls or divert ships to other ports in South Africa and nearby countries.
Durban is South Africa's biggest container gateway, handling about 65 per cent of the country's total box volume, reports IHS Media.
State-owned terminal operator Transnet said two gangs were working at Durban's Pier 1 container terminal, although all landside operations had been suspended. No work was taking place at the Pier 2 terminal because of the low turnout of workers, Transnet added.
Confirmation that carriers are omitting calls came as Transnet said last week it offered dockers a three-year wage package totalling 15.1 per cent - a 4.5 per cent pay increase this year year followed by 5.3 per cent increases in both 2023 and 2024. Union leadership wants a one-year deal with a 12 per cent pay hike.
'Whilst the parties have not settled on this offer, engagements are ongoing,' Transnet said in a statement.
But stevedores belonging to the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) and the United National Transport Union (UNTU) indicated they would reject the latest offer and intensify their picketing. This is Transnet's first major dock strike since 2010.
Maersk said last Thursday it would drop calls at Durban and Cape Town on several joint sailings with other carriers including Cosco and CMA CGM on services linking South Africa with Europe, Asia, and the east coast of South America.
'All terminals and rail are effectively at an operational standstill,' the carrier said. 'We have vessels alongside with containers still to be discharged that are heavily delayed and, with minimal gate and rail activity, we will not be able to deliver sold transit times and delivery dates.'
The Danish carrier indicated further omissions at Durban and Cape Town were likely depending on how long the strike continued. The carrier has stopped all bookings of dry export containers from South African ports until the strike is over.
CMA CGM said the 4,298 TEU CMA CGM Jamaica will skip both Cape Town and Durban on the Middle East-India-West Africa service, operated with Maersk, and proceed directly to Jebel Ali.
In an update, Hapag-Lloyd said the 8,400-TEU Northern Juvenile serving its Asia-West Africa service would skip Cape Town and the 2,824 TEU As Cypria, deployed on the Middle East-India-Africa Express service, would omit Durban. The 4,432-TEU Bear Mountain Bridge will skip Cape Town and call at Durban instead on the South Africa-Asia Express 2 service that is operated in conjunction with Ocean Network Express.
Hapag-Lloyd said four vessels were berthed or at anchorage in Durban but only two ships were being worked, while none of the three ships at Cape Town or one at Coega were being worked.
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Durban is South Africa's biggest container gateway, handling about 65 per cent of the country's total box volume, reports IHS Media.
State-owned terminal operator Transnet said two gangs were working at Durban's Pier 1 container terminal, although all landside operations had been suspended. No work was taking place at the Pier 2 terminal because of the low turnout of workers, Transnet added.
Confirmation that carriers are omitting calls came as Transnet said last week it offered dockers a three-year wage package totalling 15.1 per cent - a 4.5 per cent pay increase this year year followed by 5.3 per cent increases in both 2023 and 2024. Union leadership wants a one-year deal with a 12 per cent pay hike.
'Whilst the parties have not settled on this offer, engagements are ongoing,' Transnet said in a statement.
But stevedores belonging to the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) and the United National Transport Union (UNTU) indicated they would reject the latest offer and intensify their picketing. This is Transnet's first major dock strike since 2010.
Maersk said last Thursday it would drop calls at Durban and Cape Town on several joint sailings with other carriers including Cosco and CMA CGM on services linking South Africa with Europe, Asia, and the east coast of South America.
'All terminals and rail are effectively at an operational standstill,' the carrier said. 'We have vessels alongside with containers still to be discharged that are heavily delayed and, with minimal gate and rail activity, we will not be able to deliver sold transit times and delivery dates.'
The Danish carrier indicated further omissions at Durban and Cape Town were likely depending on how long the strike continued. The carrier has stopped all bookings of dry export containers from South African ports until the strike is over.
CMA CGM said the 4,298 TEU CMA CGM Jamaica will skip both Cape Town and Durban on the Middle East-India-West Africa service, operated with Maersk, and proceed directly to Jebel Ali.
In an update, Hapag-Lloyd said the 8,400-TEU Northern Juvenile serving its Asia-West Africa service would skip Cape Town and the 2,824 TEU As Cypria, deployed on the Middle East-India-Africa Express service, would omit Durban. The 4,432-TEU Bear Mountain Bridge will skip Cape Town and call at Durban instead on the South Africa-Asia Express 2 service that is operated in conjunction with Ocean Network Express.
Hapag-Lloyd said four vessels were berthed or at anchorage in Durban but only two ships were being worked, while none of the three ships at Cape Town or one at Coega were being worked.
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