French shipping and logistics company Maritime Freighting Company & General Maritime Company (CMA CGM), a private company, said that its ship, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, lost 44 containers this week owing to unexpectedly heavy weather in the Red Sea, while another 30 were damaged.
The Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk has also experienced delays in reaching Cape Town owing to adverse weather conditions.
Storms near the African coast are affecting vital maritime routes reportedly used to escape strikes by Yemen's Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea. Container ships have had to travel longer routes throughout the continent.
According to the Clarkson Research Services digital platform, the number of deep-sea freight boats landing at the Cape of Good Hope has plummeted to 18, the lowest since October. Some impacted vessels have delayed their voyages, while others are taking longer routes around the African coast.