Cape catches up after 40-hour wind delays

The Cape basked in idyllic weekend weather after savage south-easterly winds had pounded the Mother City for much of the week. Cape Town Container Terminal was wind-bound on three occasions for a total operational stoppage of some 40 hours. As an unblemished Saturday dawned, with not a speck of wind, terminal personnel were intent on catching up on the backlog which had set back by some 12 hours the 8 100 TEU MSC Lucy (now on the North Europe-South Africa service) and the Dal Kalahari, awaiting cargo earlier in the week. The wind was at its most severe on Friday (January 14), halting quayside operations for 18 hours, while Maersk Denver and Alexander Bridge were at berths 601 and 603 and the vessels San Alessio and MSC Anahita awaited berths. (Alexander Bridge was delayed for a total of 36.17 hours in the end). Fresh produce exporter Peter Newton says the Northern Cape floods forced closure of bridges and byways, forcing Cape Town-bound truckers to make detours, thereby adding another ten or 12 hours to their round trip.