Largest Port in South Africa Closed due to Flood

Operations at South Africa’s Largest Port, Port of Durban, were suspended on Monday following heavy torrential rains and mudslides.

The state-owned logistics group, Transnet, in a statement announced the suspension of operations across its Durban Terminals until further notice as a result of the extensive debris and damages caused by the adverse weather

Rains have caused containers to tumble over roads leading to the Durban container terminal and rail lines connecting to the terminal.

A.P. Moller-Maersk, the Danish container line, issued an advisory that its Durban office will be closed and employees will be working from home. It reported that there were no damages and all shoreside equipment are fully operational.

It has also announced that it will suspend demurrage and detentions fees for one week at the port of Durban, and it will also extend the detention relief, import, and export, to Johannesburg.

The last time ocean carriers suspended demurrage and detentions fees in Durban was last July when nationwide protests and violence erupted in the wake of the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma and forced the closure of depots, warehouses, and cold storage facilities on the Durban and Johannesburg coasts. There were major delays at the port and some lines serving the South African gateway had to divert their ships.

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