Bad Weather Halts Container Movements Near Cape of Good Hope

Severe weather conditions near the Cape of Good Hope has brought container traffic to a halt this week according to analysis by LSEG Shipping Research.

Since Monday, daily transit data and vessel location data via the LSEG Workspace Interactive Map show no containerships passing the Cape of Good Hope – adding to congestion and delays exacerbated by the Red Sea crisis. The Interactive Map layer shows marine weather and waves over 10 meters high.

Fabrice Maille, Global Head of Shipping & Agriculture at LSEG, said, "We have a complete stop at the Cape of Good Hope for containerships – east and west. There is no significant change in Red Sea traffic so far, but several containerships have made turnarounds and/or are waiting off the coast of Durban.”

Isaac Hankes, Senior Weather Analyst, at LSEG noted that the waves off the South Africa coast coincided with a strong cyclone that impacted the region on the last Sunday, and it was associated with temperatures that were well below normal.

He said, “This was a powerful cyclone (with winds that generated the waves), but we are not seeing anything extraordinary in the data. Something comparable happened in early June, for example. These events are like a cold air outbreak in the South Africa winter, in the Northern Hemisphere context.”

He added, “There is another cyclone likely to impact South Africa later this week, so the issue with the waves may continue yet with respect to shipping issues. However, the AAO will soon move into its positive phase, which could signal the end of strong cyclones after the one later this week.”

These precedents support LSEG Commodities' recent forecast that showcased a possibly record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season this year, which is following the expected pattern after the effects of Beryl as an exceptionally strong storm for this time of the year.