Only 180 Ships Divert Around Cape of Good Hope as Fleets Return to Suez
The number of container ships diverting around the Cape of Good Hope fell to 180, its lowest level since January 2024, as 30 out of 52 westbound services returned to the Suez Canal.
The number of container ships still sailing around the Cape of Good Hope dropped to 180, the lowest level since January 2024, compared to an average of nearly 350 ships over the past two years, according to Linerlytica data cited by the "IKGZ" website.
Thirty out of 52 westbound liner services and 32 out of 57 eastbound services returned to sailing via the Suez Canal, with plans to restore two additional services in each direction in coming November.
The ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges expressed concern over ships arriving in close succession. Antwerp-Bruges Port spokesman Lennart Verstappen stated that large Asian vessels put pressure on terminals and hinterland transport networks during each call, making coordination harder when scheduled berthing slots are missed.
Schedule reliability on the Asia-North Europe trade lane dropped from 58.7% in May to 45.6% in June and then to 35.4% in September, while the average delay for ships reached 4.8 days in August and 4.5 days in September.
What do these terms mean?
Cape of Good Hope Diversion: An alternative maritime route going around South Africa instead of the Suez Canal, adding days to the voyage but avoiding risks in the Red Sea.
Liner Service: A regular service operated by a shipping line between a set of ports according to a fixed schedule.
Schedule Reliability: The percentage of voyages arriving at port on time, used as an indicator of a shipping line's efficiency.
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