Due to port congestion, the cargo volume at Durban Air Cargo Terminal has surged

Due to congestion at South African seaports, the air cargo volume at King Shaka International Airport's Dube Cargo Terminal has surged in recent months.

The terminal company stated that in the last four months of 2023, due to a shift in mode, its air cargo volume increased by 57% month on month.

The company stated that this trend continued in January of this year.

Ricardo Isaac, Senior Manager in charge of cargo development and operation at Dubu Freight Terminal, said, "There has been significant growth in air cargo in various industries, from perishable goods to automobiles, which traditionally rely on sea transportation."

"This emphasizes the need for these industries to ensure uninterrupted production and timely delivery to export markets."

From September to December 2023, we saw a doubling of fruit exports to the Middle East and European markets compared to the same period last year.

"In terms of automobiles, the cargo volume at our air cargo terminal in November was about 30% higher than normal."

Isaac added that this trend indicates that having efficient air transportation options becomes very valuable for time sensitive goods and in situations where the risk of discontinuation increases.

The country's seaports, especially Durban, are currently facing significant challenges, resulting in long waiting times.

The company stated that this issue has had a negative impact on several industries that are crucial to the country's economy, including the citrus industry.

The latter had to deal with financial setbacks caused by port related issues, which resulted in additional transportation costs.

According to Clyde&Co, the backlog outside Durban reached its peak at the end of November, when an estimated 79 ships and over 61000 containers were forced to stay at the outer anchorage due to operational challenges, equipment failures, and adverse weather conditions at the port.

Cape Town Port has also reported issues, with an estimated 46000 containers reportedly stranded outside the ports of Ngura and Gabaha in late November.