Recently, Maersk issued a service disruption notice on its official website. The details are as follows:

Ongoing service disruptions are affecting cargo deliveries at the Malindi Port in Zanzibar (ZNZ). These delays are primarily due to port congestion, which has been caused by the prioritization of bulk vessels that are essential for delivering food and other necessities to the local community.

According to the notice, vessels are now experiencing waiting times of up to approximately 35 days at the main berth, leading to extended transit times for cargo destined for New Zealand. Congestion at alternative berths has also caused delays for ad-hoc feeder vessels used to support cargo movement. This situation is impacting the carrier's ability to maintain regular service schedules and ensure timely deliveries.

Maersk stated that both short-term and long-term measures are being implemented to mitigate the impact:

Increased capacity and routing options: Additional berthing slots have been secured on the FEF barge service, which operates via alternative berths in Zanzibar. This has significantly reduced waiting times to 10–13 days. Maersk has cleared approximately 1,500 metric tons of backlogged cargo through this route.

Improved berth access: Ongoing collaboration with the port authority and terminal operators aims to identify more efficient berth allocation strategies to reduce vessel wait times.

Ongoing service review: Maersk’s network team is currently reviewing the existing service plans to adapt to the evolving operational environment in Zanzibar, with the goal of preventing severe backlogs in the future.