Travelling around the Cape of Good Hope was always considered perilous in the olden days of tall ships and wooden vessels, and even with modern ships it is not without some jeopardy.

The cape is believed to be responsible for over 1,000 shipwrecks, and in days of old was nicknamed the ‘the graveyard of ships’. The Cape is well known for its unpredictable weather, where strong winds and rough seas can pose a serious threat to the safety of vessels and crew.

Currently, the Cape of Good Hope is the route for fleets of Asia cargo destined for Europe, after Houthi attacks in the Red Sea forced carriers to avoid the region. However, the highly sophisticated modern vessels of today do not always pass the Cape without incident.

Early in July, several containerships had to moor up for a couple of days and wait for severe storms to pass in the area, delaying their journeys into Europe.  During the past month, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin lost 44 containers overboard during a rough sea passage around the Cape and the CMA CGM Belem lost 99 containers.

A more serious fate met the 124 metre general cargo ship Ultra Galaxy, which run aground in stormy weather near the Cape last month and broke up. Fortunately, all 18 crew members were rescued after they abandoned ship while the ship was listing.

So, circumnavigating the Cape Of Good Hope continues to have its risks. Perhaps this serves as timely reminder that importers and exporters really must have the correct cargo insurance is in place. If you are unsure of your cover, then please do not hesitate to contact the Unique Forwarding team to discuss further.