Ferocious winds cause delays of up to 38 hours

RAY SMUTS FEROCIOUS WINDS had even stout-bodied Cape Town pedestrians clinging to lamp posts or other firm support on August 22, causing operations to cease for about seven-and-a-half hours at the Cape Town container terminal and in the process delaying berthing of three at-anchor vessels. Surprisingly, the terminal activity continued uninterrupted in the morning when the wind was positively howling, but work finally stopped for three-and-a half hours during the afternoon and four hours early on Wednesday morning. David Davids, Sapo’s terminal planning manager, says the wind was at times blowing toward 90km/h. Sapo requires all work to cease when it peaks above 80km/h. He explains all five cranes in operation are equipped with wind measuring devices, enabling them to either continue or stop, depending on whether the wind is affecting their specific area. Three vessels were awaiting berths. The Maersk Eaqui, (loading 470 boxes), was delayed for 29 hours, Kota Ganteng (loading 375 containers) for 38 hours and MSC Maria Pia (loading 250 containers) for nine hours. The present average berthing delay is 25.5 hours but Davids says Sapo is intent on trying to minimise delays to 16 hours. The terminal was expecting to move 4 500 import boxes and 4 100 export boxes during the course of the week. Peaks are still evident at weekends with high exports and imports coming in. “It’s about supply and demand,” says Davids.