The huge shift in shipping via the Cape of Good Hope has led to more weather-related claims off South Africa in 2024 than in the whole of the three years before, according to Norwegian insurer Gard.

Changing shipping patterns caused by Houthi attacks have exposed vessels to harsher weather and increased risk of damage while adding 10 to 14 days to voyage times.

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Maximum wave and swell heights have been higher off South Africa than in the Arabian Sea for every month since January 2023 — and the opportunities to alter course to avoid the worst weather are fewer, Gard said.

The greatest increase in traffic has come from larger vehicle carriers and container vessels that are more susceptible to weather-related claims because of the scale of their cargo operations.

Those ships have the highest frequency of weather-related claims in Gard data from 2015 to 2023.

“This is partly due to the sheer number of cargo units these vessels carry, making them more susceptible to damage from lashing or stowage failures,” Gard said. “Any failure in lashing or stowage on one unit can trigger a domino effect.”

This month, the International Monetary Fund-backed PortWatch programme reported that shipping volumes through the Suez Canal were down 70% in the third quarter of 2024, largely unchanged from the previous quarter.

More than 100 ships have been attacked since the Houthis started their campaign against shipping in November last year.

The group has used missiles, air and sea drones and fired on vessels from small boats in its campaign. They have sunk two ships, killed four seafarers and left another two with serious injuries.

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