A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) has warned that West African hub operations continue to face significant operational constraints.
The carrier’s latest customer advisory cites berth congestion, yard saturation, elevated empty container inventories, and adverse weather conditions as the key drivers.
Tema and Abidjan remain the most affected ports in Maersk’s network, with vessels experiencing extended delays and continued pressure on cargo flow and schedule reliability. Pointe Noire, by contrast, remains operationally stable and continues to provide contingency support across the wider network.
At Tema, vessels are waiting three to 16 days to berth, with reduced move capacity and crane constraints compounding the delays.
Maersk said cargo delays continue to be experienced due to berth congestion and adverse weather conditions, impacting overall cargo flow.
Abidjan is experiencing more severe disruption, with vessels waiting up to 24 days to berth and yard occupancy reaching approximately 94 per cent.
Customers are experiencing extended dwell times, rolling cargo, and reduced ability to accept new shipments as a result of the congestion.
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Pointe Noire is recording only minimal berth delays, with laden operations remaining stable, though rising empty container stock levels and upstream disruptions are increasing the risk of future congestion.
On cargo flow, Maersk said the backlog of Dakar-bound cargo at Tema is steadily reducing, with remaining units due to ship on the next two vessels.
Apapa overflow remains controlled but is not expected to clear until week 30, while Abidjan and Monrovia flows remain stable and are expected to clear by week 27.
At Abidjan, FW3/W5A service overflow remains under control but continues to affect Pointe Noire and downstream terminals, with an increasing roll pool driven by vessel omissions and schedule instability.
Maersk said recovery efforts are focused on improving berth productivity and vessel turnaround at Tema, managing cargo intake and prioritisation at Abidjan, and leveraging alternative hubs such as Pointe Noire to stabilise flow.
Recovery at Tema is expected to be gradual over the next three to six weeks, subject to equipment and productivity gains, while Abidjan’s recovery horizon extends to the next three months.
For more information:
Maersk – https://www.maersk.com/
