The CSIR-hosted Alliance for Collaboration on Climate and Earth Systems Science (ACCESS), alongside other CSIR researchers and partners, is assessing the economic impacts of wind disruptions. They are also supporting the Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA) and its clients by providing short- and long-term wind predictions.
Strong summer winds can disrupt shipping operations, vessel movements, and cargo handling activities at Cape Town's port, especially during the peak fruit picking and packing season. It is common for Cape Town's gusty summer southeaster, known as the Cape Doctor, to swirl over and around Table Mountain and Devil's Peak before descending onto the bay.
However, it is becoming increasingly unusual for the port to experience extreme winds that are both more frequent and intense than in the past. Dr. Neville Sweijd, director of the ACCESS program, highlights this concern, particularly as demand for marine services at the port continues to grow.
If these amplified harbor winds exceed 80 kilometers per hour, port operations must be suspended to prevent safety risks from swinging containers and the potential collapse of cranes. Sweijd notes that wind disruptions have created logistical challenges and financial losses for fruit exporters.
To mitigate these challenges, CSIR engineer Vuyo Ndayi, who specializes in ocean monitoring in ports, explains that CSIR wind anemometers and sensors are being used to provide real-time wind speed, wind direction, and gust data. This information enables port authorities to make hourly and daily operational decisions based on weather conditions.
Magenthran Ruthenavelu, technical director at TNPA, emphasizes the importance of understanding wind patterns and trends to implement measures that can reduce the impact on port operations. He adds that the research findings will guide potential modifications to the port layout and infrastructure to help divert wind away from the operational areas of the terminals.
Major fruit exporters, such as Fruitways, are also expected to benefit from this data. Spokesperson Zelde Kennedy notes that the information will assist exporters in planning around anticipated wind delays. "It will definitely have an impact on our costs, and I think it will be better for the whole industry," she says.
Sweijd highlights extreme wind disruptions of fruit exports as an example of how climate variability and change are affecting daily life. He stresses that climate change is not just a future phenomenon but is already impacting people through extreme weather events rather than gradual climatic shifts.
For Cape Town's port, long-term wind predictions and climate modeling will seek to determine how wind patterns may evolve. "Is it going to become worse? Is it going to become better? Are we going to see it outside of the spring and summer months, and how is that going to affect how things are run in the port?" asks Ndayi.
For more information:
Phetolo Phatsibi
CSIR
Tel: +27 081 396 8871
Email: PPhatsibi@csir.co.za
www.csir.co.za