Since shipping companies cannot pass through the Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandab Strait due to security concerns, there is an ongoing change in the route of ships that leads them to move through Africa. The increase in the number of ships has brought about opportunities for many African ports since they receive more passengers and cargo.
Red Sea shipping crisis African ports Benefiting, However, the Red Sea shipping crisis has shown some bottlenecks in the process of working of some ports and the need to improve their infrastructure in order to handle the increasing amount of traffic.
Here are the African ports that benefit the most from this situation.
Rapid Growth in Lamu Port of Kenya
One of the biggest beneficiaries of the situation is the Lamu Port of Kenya.
With large cargo ships searching for alternate routes around the southern part of Africa, Lamu has witnessed a drastic rise in port activity. The volume of cargo has seen a significant boost up to 974% in some cases due to an increased interest of international shipping firms.
The capability of Lamu Port to facilitate ultra-large vessels makes Kenya aspire to become a logistics center in the region. Continuous development of transportation infrastructures connected with the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor will make it easier for the port to link with the interior market.
If such trends in shipping continue, Lamu Port can have an increasingly significant role in East African trade.
Tanger Med Becomes Africa’s Largest Port
Moroccan port of Tanger Med continues to reinforce its position as the biggest and busiest container port of Africa.
Strategically situated close to the Strait of Gibraltar, Tanger Med has been able to benefit from the changing shipping routes by receiving the rising amount of transshipment traffic connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
According to recent numbers, container traffic at the port has grown by almost 18.9%, reaching 10.2 million TEU.
It still stands as a key link in connecting trade in Africa with the international market.
Increased Vessels at Cape Town and Durban
South Africa’s key ports, mainly Cape Town and Durban, have seen a great rise in their ship traffic.
With many ships navigating around the Cape of Good Hope, many of them have been stopping to refuel, replenish provisions, undertake maintenance, and change their crews before moving on with their long journey. At the height of the diversions, some reports indicated that ship traffic had risen by up to 328%.
The increase has brought about new business opportunities for logistics operators, fuel operators, and port operators in light of South Africa’s strategically positioned shipping lanes.
However, the fast increase in traffic has put strain on the infrastructure of the ports.
Challenges in Handling Increased Ship Traffic
Even as increased ship traffic brings increased business, many of the ports have found it hard to cope with increased traffic.
Some of the facilities in Durban and Cape Town have experienced congestion owing to a lack of capacity, aging infrastructure, a shortage of equipment, and inefficiency in operations. At times, ships have been taking longer hours to gain access to the berths due to congestion.
All this has led to increased calls for investments into modernizing ports, logistics technology, and cargo handling capacity.
Many African countries are now using this scenario as an opportunity to make progress in upgrading their infrastructure.
The Aviation Industry Has Benefited Too
The effects of the Red Sea crisis have not been limited to sea freight.
The Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Ethiopia has experienced increased demand for air cargo services as companies look for other means of transportation due to the problems that shipping is experiencing.
Such changes in global transport have opened doors of opportunity in different segments of the logistics industry in Africa.
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