NorthStandard warned today that the civil conflict in Sudan is again causing disruption and changes in the operational status of ports may occur at any time. In addition, Maersk announced that they are stopping booking acceptance into Sudan for all shipments until further notice.
According to Maersk, the conflict continues to have significant impact on logistics. Although vessel operations inside the Port are ongoing, the progress is slow as one of the cranes at the port is not working. These upsetting news comes after a brief positive development for the city as the situation had been stabilized.
The situation in Sudan
Tensions have been high between different military factions since the ouster of previous dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The country was taken over by the military, and recent efforts to shift to a civilian-led government have failed. The warring military factions are the Sudanese armed forces, led by their general, the country’s de facto ruler, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group of paramilitaries.
According to West P&I Club, The Port of Port Sudan is the country’s primary seaport, strategically placed on the Red Sea coast, and serves as an important hub for trade between Sudan and other regional countries. Around 90% of the country’s exports and imports, including oil, gold, and other minerals, are handled via the port. Furthermore, the port handles goods carried across land borders with neighboring nations like Ethiopia and South Sudan.
As a result, the ongoing clashes between the RSF and the army over the distribution of power and resources within the government have caused significant setbacks for shipping companies and importers/exporters, the Sudanese economy, and the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
