Cape doctor can’t be blamed for latest CT delays!

Up they popped with Jack-in-the-Box rapidity last week – ships lining up for berths at Cape Town Container Terminal with actual delays of more than 151 hours in one instance. Unlike a wind stoppage of nearly ten hours over 24 hours the previous week, Cape Town remained largely tranquil last week, but the one-ontop- of-another arrival of containerships affected operations. That in addition to the terminal operating without one of its four major berths due to an ongoing R4.5 billion terminal ‘remake’. In the 24 hours leading up to January 22, MSC Borneo (arrived 13 hours late), was delayed 115.58 hours, MSC Damla (four hours late) was delayed 97.50 hours and Nexeo Maersk was delayed 82.17 hours. At sunrise last Friday, six vessels lay at anchor in the bay. Hansa Aalesund arrived January 17 and was due to berth January 20, for a total delay of 92.10 hours. (She arrived 9.9 hours late). Next up was Safmarine Ngami (arrived six hours early) but was expected to be delayed 162 hours overall. Pac Aries was 1.8 hours late in arriving but delayed 51.17 hours, Viking Eagle 1.8 hours late but delayed 151.25 hours, Border, delayed six hours, and MOL Cullinan, delayed 64 hours. Fourteen vessels – by no means an excessive number for the terminal – were due in the eight days to January 29, for a total of 8 201 containers – 4 170 imports and 4 031 exports.