Maersk shuts down in South Africa as looting continues
Container giant closes all its depots, warehouses and cold stores as rioters ransack the cities of Durban and Johannesburg.
Unrest in South Africa following the incarceration of the country’s former president, Jacob Zuma, has forced Maersk to close all of its operations in the ports of Durban and Johannesburg.
Both ports have suffered major disruption after days of violence and looting. Richards Bay port and the road and rail networks have also been affected.
“The port of Durban has had many of the terminals shut over the last 24 hours, however at this stage we have not triggered any contingencies that will cause ships not to call at Durban,” Kerry Rosser, the company’s Africa spokeswoman, told Reuters.
State logistics group Transnet said “the entire supply chain is closed”, including roads into and of ports. Force majeure has already been declared by several major companies and organisations.
