Global Logistics Lens - April
- Apr 2
- 7 min read
This month opens in the shadow of one of the most significant global logistics disruptions in recent years. What began in March as a geopolitical shock has now evolved into a broader structural shift - reshaping shipping routes, extending transit times, increasing costs, and redistributing congestion across major ports worldwide. The ongoing instability around critical Middle Eastern shipping corridors has forced carriers to rethink long-standing routes, with the Cape of Good Hope now a core alternative in global network planning. Our Global Logistics Lens provides a consolidated view of these developments and practical insights to help you plan and manage your supply chain into Q2.
Key Highlights:
South African ports under pressure from higher volumes and rerouted vessels.
Air cargo demand up 11 % year-on-year with capacity tight in Gulf routes. (IATA/ACI data)
Strait of Hormuz traffic collapsed 70% after Iran's closure on 1 March following US-Israeli strikes.
Over 80% of the world's 454 mapped ports reached critical congestion by end March.
Drewry's World Container Index rose 5% on 26 March, reversing the earlier softening trend.
Asia–Durban spot rates have increased 15-25% since early March.
US import surcharge of 10% under section 122 impacting global cost structures.
South African Trade
South Africa’s ports remain vital gateways, connecting the continent to major global markets. In March, disruptions in shipping routes, combined with strong regional demand, had a noticeable impact on trade flows. An increasing number of vessels rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, while high import and export volumes placed added pressure on logistics networks. Despite these challenges, operational improvements helped maintain the movement of goods across key sectors. Port handling performance remains uneven, with ongoing infrastructure constraints and occasional disruptions contributing to congestion. These conditions underscore the importance of proactive planning, flexible routing, and real-time supply chain visibility to manage risk and ensure smooth cargo flow.
Port Operations:
Port performance has shown gradual recovery, with fewer extreme backlogs. However, handling remains inconsistent due to terminal-specific challenges across Durban and Cape Town, while Ngqura has recently experienced high volumes that have added to congestion. Below, we expand on the latest field challenges across our key ports:
Maydon Wharf (Durban): New concessions awarded to African Port Logistics and BAL SA & Africa Global Logistics Consortium, boosting export capacity for fresh produce and agri dry bulk.
Durban Gateway Terminal (Pier 2): The Transnet–ICTSI partnership remains under implementation with a focus on improving crane productivity and vessel turnaround to improve trade flow reliability.
Inland Logistics & Rail:
South Africa’s inland logistics are gradually improving, with 41 freight rail slots now allocated to private operators to support future capacity. In the short term, however, rail volumes remain constrained, and much of the cargo between Durban and inland hubs like City Deep still moves by road due to reliability challenges. This reliance on road transport places pressure on truck availability and terminal access, while cross-border shipments remain vulnerable to delays if documentation is incomplete. For importers and exporters, early planning to accommodate potential transport delays, along with accurate cross-border documentation, remains essential, as significant improvements in rail efficiency will take time.
Global Trade
Global trade remains dynamic, with shifting shipping routes, regulatory changes, and capacity constraints challenging supply chains. Carriers and shippers are being forced to adapt quickly, making real-time visibility and flexible planning essential to keeping goods moving efficiently.
Airline Capacity & Pricing
Air cargo demand is strong, but capacity lags, particularly on Gulf routes. Rising fuel and security costs are increasing rates, while rerouted flights reshape global networks. South African exporters of perishables and other time-sensitive goods should plan early, allow extra transit time, and factor higher surcharges into landed costs.
Global Port & Inland Performance
The rerouting of vessels via the Cape of Good Hope continues to place significant strain on global capacity, creating longer transit times and tighter equipment availability across key trade lanes. Port congestion is intensifying across major transshipment hubs, particularly in Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. Delays are being driven not only by increased volumes but also by bunching of vessels arriving off revised schedules which is expected to persist throughout April as carriers work to stabilize network reliability.
The data below reflects 3-7 day average vessel waiting times, ports not shown are operating with minimal disruption.
Africa & Indian Ocean Islands
Guinea (Conakry): 22 day delay experiencing severe, sustained congestion. Avoid where possible.
Mozambique (Beira/Maputo): Beira: 17 days due to weather disruption; Maputo: 4.5 days with wind gusts forecast.
Tanzania (Dar es Salaam): 7–10 days. Terminal gate and road congestion persistent.
Kenya (Mombasa): 4 days. Equipment shortages and vessel bunching.
Mauritius (Port Louis): 3–4 days. Weather disruptions continuing.
Nigeria (Lagos—Tincan / Apapa): 3–6 days at main terminals.
Ghana (Tema): 3 days. Crane outages and no ad-hoc vessel calls accepted.
Ivory Coast (Abidjan): 2 days. Terminal slightly congested.
Angola (Luanda): 1 day. Congested but stable movement
North America
USA (New York / New Jersey): 4–6 days at main terminals.
USA (Savannah): 3 days. Software disruptions earlier in 2026 left lasting congestion.
USA (Miami / Los Angeles / Long Beach): 2–4 days. Monitor for schedule changes from Middle East cargo redirection.
Canada (Vancouver): 2 days vessel wait; rail dwell 8 days.
Canada (Prince Rupert): Rail dwell 10 days — highest in Canada.
Canada (Montreal): 2 days vessel wait; rail dwell 7 days.
Latin America
Argentina (Buenos Aires): 6–8 days. Congestion following March labour disruptions.
Mexico (Altamira): 3–4 days. Security conditions in some regions still challenging.
Brazil (Navegantes): ~3 days. Active congestion.
Brazil (Santos / Paranagua): Moderate delays; improved from prior months.
Europe & Mediterranean
Mediterranean (Barcelona/Marseille/Genoa/Piraeus/Istanbul): 4–6 days. Vessel bunching from Cape rerouting intensifying across all main Med ports.
Gibraltar / Algeciras / Tangier Med (transshipment hubs): Elevated yard density and wind disruptions. Transshipment delays possible on connecting services.
Germany (Hamburg): 3 days. Yard critical at 89%; crane rail works; Easter closures add further risk.
Belgium (Antwerp & Zeebrugge): 2 days. March pilot and national strikes caused severe disruption; vessel backlog persisting. Yard 88%.
Netherlands (Rotterdam): 2-3 days with moderate congestion. 86% yard utilization
UK (London Gateway): 2 days. Fog disruptions, tide restrictions, late arrivals pushing berth plan.
UK (Grangemouth & Liverpool): Disrupted by high winds in March , monitor for recovery.
Middle East & Indian Subcontinent
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to most commercial traffic. Multiple Gulf ports have been attacked or disrupted and major carriers have suspended Gulf transits.
UAE (Khor Fakkan): Heavily congested. Receiving diverted cargo but under severe pressure.
UAE (Jebel Ali): Operational but disrupted. Maersk suspended Upper Gulf bookings; CMA CGM offering multimodal alternatives for UAE/Iraq/Kuwait/Qatar/Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia (Jeddah & King Abdullah Port): Open and absorbing rerouted volumes.
Oman (Salalah) & Bahrain (Khalifa Bin Salman): Both attacked in March; operations resumed 14 March.
Qatar / Kuwait / Iraq: Suspended or severely restricted. Overland/multimodal alternatives in use.
UAE MPCI advance cargo filing: Mandatory from 1 April 2026. Non-compliance results in cargo holds and delays.
Asia & Oceania
China (Tianjin): 7–10 days. Consistently high congestion.
China (Qingdao / Nansha / Shekou / Xiamen): 2–5 days. Vessel bunching from Cape diversions intensifying.
China (Shanghai): 2 days. Yard at 52–65%. Cape diversion bunching increasing.
China (Ningbo): 2 days. OPS system disruption and dredging at MSICT & BLCT3 from mid-March.
India (Mundra / Nhava Sheva): On-time arrivals decrease 20%. Both ports absorbing diverted Gulf cargo & delays expected to worsen.
Malaysia (Tanjung Pelepas): 2 days. Yard density elevated; crane deliveries limiting berth capacity.
Philippines (Manila: North & South terminals): 2–3 days. Yard utilisation 70–80%.
Bangladesh (Chittagong): 2 days. Ramadan prayer breaks impacting efficiency.
Japan (Yokohama): 2 days. Vessel bunching in weeks 11–12.
Singapore (PSA terminals): 2 days. Yard 80–85%. Growing transshipment hub pressure.
Ocean Freight Market:
Freight rates remain elevated due to longer sailing distances, higher fuel costs, and constrained capacity:
Drewry WCI rose 5% to $2,279/40ft (26 March), reversing weeks of post-CNY softening.
Asia–Europe spot rates up 20% mid-March and Asia–Durban increased 15-25% since early march.
Transpacific rates remained relatively subdued (+3–5%) amid soft underlying demand.
Carriers are applying ECS, TDS, PSS, and war-risk surcharges where relevant
Contract negotiations at TPM26 stalled, reflecting challenging market conditions.
Blank sailings are rising as carriers adjust schedules disrupted by Cape of Good Hope rerouting.
General Rate Increases (GRIs) are being announced for multiple trade lanes effective April 2026, supported by higher operational costs due to rerouting and reduced effective market capacity.
For South Africa, rates are expected to rise further due to increased reliance on longer routes and limited direct service capacity. Importers should already be reviewing open bookings for the next quarter.
US Tariff Update:
A 10% global import surcharge under Section 122 (Trade Act of 1974) is in effect, applying to $1.2 trillion in US imports. Exemptions include Section 232 goods (steel, aluminium, autos, semiconductors).
Rate may increase to 15%, signaled by US Treasury but not yet implemented as at end-March.
USTR launched new Section 301 investigations on 11 March (China, EU, 11 other countries).
IEEPA tariff refund process through US CBP's ACE system expected mid-April.
For SA shippers: While SA is not a direct tariff target, global cost structures, capacity pricing, and equipment availability are all affected. Shippers sourcing from or routing via the US should review tariff classifications and landed cost models.
Navigating Global Disruption with Confidence
Shipping around key Middle Eastern corridors remains unpredictable, causing longer transit times and tighter space at major ports. In this environment, planning ahead and staying flexible is more important than ever. Visibility is key to managing complexity - tracking shipments in real time, anticipating delays, and accessing timely information helps manage costs and keeps supply chains running smoothly. More businesses are turning to fully integrated, end-to-end logistics partners for simplicity, reliability, and peace of mind. At SCT Supply Chain Solutions, we provide a single point of accountability from origin to destination. Our online portal delivers real-time shipment tracking, access to documents, and performance insights—all in one place—so you can navigate global disruptions with confidence, clarity, and control.
Freight News
We understand the importance of staying up to date with the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in our industry and we wish to highlight just a few articles which you might find of interest.
Sources & References
Seatrade Maritime / Loadstar / Freight News / GoComet / Maersk / Openpr / Transnet / WeFreight / MSC / AfricaPorts / Container Statistics+News / Flexport / Phaata / SACO / Hellenic Shipping / Worldcargonews/ Maritime Executive / GCaptain/ Linerlytica / Sea Intelligence / Splash247 / Freight Waves / Xeneta / Drewry / Engineering news / African Mining / iOL / Hapag Lloyd / Reuters / Freshplaza / CNBC.