Data from the Southern African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) has shown a 21% decline in the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled in South Africa during the week of September 14 to 20.

Its latest ‘Cargo Movement Report’, produced in collaboration with Business Unity South Africa, shows that an average of 10 405 TEUs were handled daily at the various container terminals, decreasing from 13 096 TEUs the previous week and below the projected average of 12 513 TEUs.

Overall, during the week, total volumes reached 72 837 TEUs, compared with 91 670 TEUs in the prior week, a decrease of 21%.

According to the report, Durban Gateway Terminal (DGT) and New Pier 1 accounted for the largest declines for the week.

DGT waterside performance deteriorated again, with throughput falling 39% to a weekly total of 20 110 TEUs – an average of 2 873 a day – amid two days of extreme weather and associated knock-on effects disrupted operations.

Vessel delays remain severe, with average anchorage time at about 214 hours and 10 vessels at anchorage in the latest daily position, the report indicates.

The disruption is increasingly visible elsewhere in the system, with congestion building at Pier 1 and Ngqura Container Terminal (NCT) and the total Durban vessel queue rising to 33 vessels, including 19 container vessels at anchorage, the report notes.

The TUEs movement at New Pier 1 declined 42% to a total of 8 030, equating to an average of 1 147 a day.

Port operations for the week are starting to show the knock-on effects of the congestion in DGT, as Pier 1.

In the Eastern Cape, congestion is starting to build, particularly at NCT, where TEU volumes fell 1% to 18 264, or 2 609 a day, during the week ended September 21. While the terminal continues to outperform its target volumes; vessel turnaround times are starting to creep up, along with a building queue of vessels.

At the Port Elizabeth Container Terminal (PECT), TEU movement increased 57% to 6 170, continuing to move more than double its target volumes, with no clear sign of congestion.

SAAFF notes that the terminal could alleviate some of the congestion at NCT over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, volumes at the Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) increased 4% to 15 194, or 2 171 a day.

The report notes, however, that the forecast weekly flow for September 21 to 27 suggests that the levels will rebound 15%, in particular DGT and Pier 1, which are expected to recover 74% to a total of 34 985, or 4 998 a day, and 72% to 13 808, or 1 973 a day, respectively.

This will boost the overall average daily TEU handling to 11 939 TEUs, equating to a total of 83 574 TEUs.

This is despite expected declines of a respective 5%, 33%, and 60% at the CTCT, NCT and PECT to 14 366, 12 186 and 2 485 TEUs.