The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has advised that port authorities should prepare themselves for adverse weather conditions moving east across the country from today.
This comes after a cold front reached the Cape Peninsula this morning, causing swells of between six and 12 metres all the way from Lamberts Bay on the West Coast to Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route.
This morning a “Daily Lockdown Report” issued by Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) confirmed that no berthing would be allowed at the Port of Cape Town due to swells in excess of nine metres.
TPT added: “Berthing anticipated this evening, safety permitting.”
SAWS said the cold front was fast approaching ports further east along the coast and that Port Elizabeth could expect high seas and strong wind from this afternoon.
Although the cold front is expected to subside as it spreads across the country, the Port of Durban can expect cold and wet weather in the next 24 hours.
This morning the N3 Toll Concession company had already reported extreme conditions around Van Reenen, warning of wind speeds reaching 92 km/h.
SAWS also confirmed that there was a low pressure system developing right behind the current cold front and that more cold and wet weather with strong wind could make landfall as the week wound on.
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) said this morning that Kwa-Zulu Natal had suffered a morning of adverse weather on Saturday but it had cleared up fairly quickly.
Word from the Port of Richards Bay is that TNPA has confirmed that incoming vessel movements were suspended at 2pm on Saturday due to adverse weather, heavy swells of up to five metres and winds of up to 60 knots (111 km/h).
Deputy harbour master Captain Nompumelelo Mkhize said: “Port Control is monitoring the situation hourly. Terminal operations were still under way."
Durban had indicated no disruptions, a TNPA source said.
As for Cape Town, where the port is still working hard to catch up with container cargo processing slowed by recent Covid-related staff shortages, with at least seven vessels waiting at anchorage this morning, weather conditions are expected to affect backlog clearing.