Durban Port Congestion Is Creating Major Shipping Delays
The latest Durban port congestion crisis is putting additional pressure on shipping lines, freight forwarders, transporters and cargo owners, with delays at Durban Gateway Terminal reportedly reaching around 10 days and some carriers warning customers to prepare for delays of up to 20 days.
For companies moving cargo through Southern Africa, the situation highlights how quickly terminal disruptions can spread across international supply chains. At Global Africa Logistics (GAL), we monitor developments across major African ports and global shipping routes to help importers and exporters plan around changing transit times, vessel schedules and logistics constraints.
The current disruption at Durban is particularly significant because it involves a combination of terminal-system changes, equipment constraints, yard congestion, landside bottlenecks and vessel delays rather than a single operational problem.
Durban Gateway Terminal Congestion Reaches Crisis Point
Durban Gateway Terminal (DGT), which operates the former Durban Container Terminal Pier 2, has been experiencing severe operational pressure.
The South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) declared the situation a crisis on August 21, stating that operational and equipment constraints had severely restricted cargo flows and were creating knock-on effects across the wider supply chain.
The association also escalated the matter to the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. A Presidency delegation subsequently visited the port to assess the situation and support efforts to develop a response.
The latest reporting indicates that the congestion has continued to deteriorate.
According to industry sources cited by The Loadstar, delays at Pier 2 have reached approximately 10 days, while some individual services are reportedly experiencing even longer delays. Some carriers are now warning customers that particular shipments could face delays of up to 20 days.
10-Day Delays vs. 20-Day Warnings
There is an important distinction when interpreting the current situation.
The available reporting does not establish that every container at Durban is delayed by 20 days.
Instead:
- Delays of approximately 10 days have been reported at the terminal.
- Some individual services are reportedly further behind.
- Certain carriers are warning customers about delays of up to 20 days.
- One forwarding source told The Loadstar that clearing the existing backlog could take several weeks, assuming additional vessels and containers do not add to the problem.
This distinction is important for importers and exporters making delivery commitments.
What Is Causing the Durban Port Congestion?
The disruption appears to have several contributing factors.
1. Navis N4 System Migration
One of the most prominent developments has been the transition to an independent Navis N4 terminal operating system at Durban Gateway Terminal.
SAAFF said the system transition coincided with wider operational constraints involving booking availability, yard and stack fluidity, equipment reliability, landside evacuation and coordination between different parts of the terminal operation.
Freight News also reported that the terminal suspended landside operations during the operating-system upgrade, after which a backlog developed.
However, industry representatives have stressed that the situation should not be reduced to an IT problem alone.
The system migration appears to have coincided with broader operational and capacity constraints.
2. Equipment Reliability Problems
Equipment availability and reliability are also contributing to the disruption.
Earlier reporting indicated that equipment failures and severe operational delays at DGT had already affected vessel schedules and even resulted in changes to regional services.
SAAFF’s assessment similarly identified equipment reliability as one of the factors affecting terminal performance.
When cranes, straddle carriers or other terminal equipment are unavailable, container handling rates can fall sharply, causing vessels and containers to remain in the system for longer.
3. Yard and Landside Constraints
The problem is not limited to the quay.
Industry reporting points to constraints involving:
- Container yard fluidity
- Truck booking availability
- Landside evacuation
- Container collection
- Terminal coordination
- Equipment availability
These problems can reinforce each other.
If containers cannot leave the terminal efficiently, yard capacity becomes increasingly constrained. As available space decreases, handling operations become more difficult, potentially creating another layer of delay.
Durban Container Backlog Is Affecting Vessel Operations
The congestion is also affecting vessels calling at Durban.
Earlier August data showed that vessels calling at DGT were already experiencing significant anchorage and berthing delays. Freight News reported average anchorage times of 80 hours during July, while average berthing time at DGT reached 106 hours.
Another report covering August 10–16 showed that DGT handled 25,793 TEUs, a decline of 26% from the previous week, while throughput reached only 66% of the terminal’s target for the period. Vessels spent an average of 66 hours at anchorage and 70 hours at berth during that reporting week.
These figures illustrate why the current situation is more than a normal short-term terminal delay.
Some Containers Have Been Waiting for Extended Periods
The latest reports provide an indication of how severely the backlog is affecting cargo.
A local forwarding source told The Loadstar that containers discharged on August 11 were still waiting at the terminal on August 25. The same source said clearing the accumulated cargo could take at least several weeks if additional cargo did not continue adding to the backlog.
This should be understood as an industry-source report rather than a statement that every container at DGT has experienced the same dwell time.
Nevertheless, it demonstrates the scale of the operational challenge facing some cargo owners.
Shipping Routes Are Also Adding Pressure
Durban’s current congestion is occurring against a difficult international shipping backdrop.
The rerouting of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope following Red Sea disruptions has affected Southern African shipping patterns. The Loadstar has also linked the pressure to developments involving the Strait of Hormuz and cited Linerlytica’s assessment that these disruptions account for a portion of global port congestion.
For Durban, longer global routing patterns can create additional schedule pressure because vessels arrive later, services can become less predictable and cargo volumes may become concentrated around particular port calls.
The result is a complex interaction between global vessel deployment and local terminal capacity.
Durban Congestion Is Affecting Regional Shipping Services
The disruption is already producing consequences beyond the terminal itself.
Earlier in August, delays at Durban Gateway Terminal forced a scheduled Port Louis, Mauritius call to be omitted from a service, with cargo requiring alternative arrangements depending on its destination.
This illustrates an important characteristic of port congestion: when vessels cannot maintain their planned schedules, shipping lines may alter port rotations to protect subsequent voyages.
Such changes can affect:
- Transshipment connections
- Estimated arrival dates
- Port-of-discharge arrangements
- Container availability
- Inland transportation planning
- Final delivery schedules
For freight forwarders, this means monitoring the entire transportation chain, not simply the container’s current port status.
Trucking and Landside Access Are Becoming Major Concerns
The congestion is also affecting road transport operators.
A recent industry report said transporters had lodged a complaint with South Africa’s Competition Commission concerning congestion and booking constraints at DGT, alongside allegations involving storage, demurrage, detention and access to containers. The allegations are disputed by MSC, while other parties had not responded at the time of reporting.
This is an important distinction: the allegations should not be presented as established findings.
What is clear is that the congestion has created significant pressure on the landside logistics system, with transporters reporting difficulties obtaining truck-booking slots and accessing containers.
DGT Introduces Digital Cargo Visibility Tools
Despite the operational problems, Durban Gateway Terminal has also introduced measures designed to improve cargo visibility.
On August 19, DGT announced the ICTSI RADAR application, a digital platform intended to give customers real-time visibility of terminal transactions, shipment milestones, cargo movements, truck activity and vessel operations.
The platform is designed to help customers monitor cargo and receive operational updates, potentially improving planning while the terminal works through current challenges.
DGT also maintains an online terminal-updates section containing vessel updates, export stack dates, import storage information, berth plans and customer communications.
These tools are particularly relevant during periods of disruption because better information can help logistics operators make faster decisions.
What Durban Port Congestion Means for Importers
For importers using Durban, the current conditions create several risks.
Longer Delivery Times
Cargo arriving at Durban may require additional time before it can be discharged, collected and moved inland.
Higher Logistics Costs
Extended terminal stays can potentially increase storage, detention, demurrage and other logistics costs, depending on the applicable carrier and terminal terms.
Uncertain Delivery Dates
Importers should avoid treating the original estimated arrival date as a guaranteed delivery date when a terminal is experiencing severe congestion.
Inventory Pressure
Businesses relying on imported raw materials, spare parts or finished goods may need to reassess inventory levels and contingency stock.
What Exporters Should Do
Exporters should also review their shipping plans carefully.
Where possible, businesses should:
- Confirm vessel schedules before delivering containers to the terminal.
- Check current terminal requirements.
- Monitor booking and stack information.
- Maintain communication with their freight forwarder.
- Allow additional time for port operations.
- Review alternative routing options for urgent cargo.
- Confirm free-time and storage conditions.
- Prepare contingency plans for schedule changes.
This is especially important for time-sensitive exports, agricultural products and cargo connected to fixed production or delivery schedules.
What Freight Forwarders Should Do During the Crisis
The current Durban situation demonstrates the value of proactive freight management.
A freight forwarder should monitor more than just the vessel’s ETA.
Important indicators include:
- Vessel anchorage time
- Berthing status
- Terminal booking availability
- Container discharge status
- Stack dates
- Container availability
- Truck appointment availability
- Port storage conditions
- Carrier schedule changes
- Alternative routing options
For businesses shipping internationally, these factors can determine whether cargo reaches its final destination on schedule.
Could Durban Port Congestion Affect African Supply Chains?
Yes.
Durban is an important maritime gateway for South Africa and regional trade. The wider North-South Corridor connects the port with markets including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
TradeMark Africa has previously emphasized that ports, borders, customs authorities, transport operators and digital systems need to be treated as interconnected parts of a trade corridor.
That means a disruption at one major node can have consequences well beyond the immediate port.
For companies importing into Cameroon or coordinating cargo between Africa and global markets, our team can help evaluate available shipping options, coordinate transportation and monitor the logistics process from origin to destination.
How GAL Can Help During Port Disruptions
At Global Africa Logistics (GAL), we understand that successful international shipping involves much more than moving a container from one port to another.
Port congestion, vessel delays, equipment shortages, schedule changes and customs requirements can all affect the final delivery of cargo.
GAL provides freight forwarding, ocean freight coordination, customs clearance, inland transportation and import-export logistics to help businesses manage international shipments more efficiently.
For companies importing into Cameroon or coordinating cargo between Africa and global markets, our team can help evaluate available shipping options, coordinate transportation and monitor the logistics process from origin to destination.
When port conditions change, having a logistics partner that can assess the situation and identify practical alternatives becomes increasingly important.
Conclusion: Durban Port Congestion Requires Supply-Chain Flexibility
The current Durban port congestion crisis is significantly affecting cargo flows through Durban Gateway Terminal.
The evidence points to a combination of Navis N4 system migration, equipment reliability issues, yard constraints, landside bottlenecks, vessel delays and wider international shipping disruptions. SAAFF has declared the situation a crisis, while the South African Presidency has become involved in efforts to address the disruption.
Current reporting indicates that delays have reached around 10 days, while some carriers are warning customers about potential delays of up to 20 days. This does not mean every shipment is facing a 20-day delay, but it does demonstrate the level of uncertainty facing cargo owners and logistics operators.
For importers and exporters, the immediate priority should be visibility, flexibility and proactive communication.
At Global Africa Logistics (GAL), we continue to monitor developments across African ports and global shipping networks so that businesses can make better-informed freight decisions.
Need help managing an international shipment during changing port conditions? Contact Global Africa Logistics for freight forwarding, ocean freight, customs clearance and inland transportation solutions.
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