Optimism about improved efficiencies at the Port of Cape Town has diminished following severe disruptions between late February and early March. Strong winds, reaching speeds of 100 to 120 km/h—well above the 80 km/h operational threshold—brought cargo movement at the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) to a near standstill.
During this period, twelve vessels were reported waiting at anchor, and over 200 operational hours were lost, resulting in significant delays across the supply chain. The backlog had a direct impact on agricultural exports, particularly apple shipments, with two weeks' worth of produce arriving in multiple markets simultaneously. This led to price fluctuations and logistical bottlenecks.
"The situation presents a major challenge for us,” says Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, South Africa’s largest apple and pear marketer. "The delays in cargo handling have created a ripple effect, impacting container availability, trucking operations, and ultimately, market access."
With depots struggling to keep up with demand, securing empty containers has become increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, trucking operations have been disrupted as scheduled pickups and deliveries are held up at the port or container depots. These challenges force exporters to adjust their schedules, often missing key market windows.
Productivity levels below international standards
"As a Western Cape-based export-driven company, we are highly dependent on the port of Cape Town," Roelf explains. "Transporting apples and pears to Durban or Gqeberha is not a viable alternative, as the additional cost—up to $3 per carton (R55)—cannot be absorbed by the market. The operational challenges are adding immense pressure to the supply chain, driving up costs, and creating bottlenecks that are not easily resolved in the short term."
While logistical challenges were expected this year, Roelf had hoped for a slight improvement over the past few seasons’ poor performance. However, productivity levels remain well below international standards.
"In recent weeks, the gross crane movements per hour (GCH)—a key productivity indicator—have averaged around 15, whereas the globally accepted benchmark is between 26 and 30 GCH. For context, in 2012, the Port of Cape Town was operating at 33 GCH," he says.
Although the introduction of new port management and additional equipment marked steps in the right direction, the overall issues remain far from resolved.
Urgent need for private sector involvement
Roelf believes that private sector participation is the only viable long-term solution to the port’s ongoing inefficiencies.
“We hope to see strategies in this regard fast-tracked,” he says. "Export volumes are set to increase as young orchards come into production, and if these logistical challenges persist, they will severely impact the industry’s growth. Addressing the problems at the port must be an urgent priority."
