Port of Saldanha Bay

🇿🇦 South Africa

South Atlantic · Bulk Cargo Terminal

UN/LOCODE
ZASAL
Country
🇿🇦 South Africa
Port Type
Bulk Cargo Terminal
Ocean Region
South Atlantic
Latitude
-33.0000° S
Longitude
17.9300° E

Maritime Risk Context

In the last 180 days, ArcNautical recorded 13 vessel arrivals at Saldanha Bay, with Cargo accounting for 85% of port calls — higher than the South Atlantic regional average of 41%. Saldanha Bay in South Africa connects the major commodity exporters of West Africa and South America with global markets, carrying crude oil, iron ore, soybeans, coal, and containerised goods. The Gulf of Guinea has surpassed the Gulf of Aden as the world's most active piracy zone, accounting for the majority of global incidents and the vast majority of crew kidnappings. Unlike Somali piracy's hijacking-for-ransom model, Gulf of Guinea attacks typically aim at kidnap-for-ransom, cargo theft, and oil theft from tankers. The diversion of container traffic around the Cape of Good Hope due to Red Sea security threats has increased congestion at South Atlantic bunkering ports and along the South African coast.

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Top Vessel Types (last 180 days)

Across 13 distinct vessel arrivals, 13 carry a confirmed AIS ship-type code. The most common categories at Saldanha Bay:

85%
Cargo
11 vessels
8%
Cargo
1 vessel
8%
Tanker
1 vessel

Port State Control Context

Saldanha Bay falls under the Indian Ocean MoU. The Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding does not publish a public bulk detention feed. PSC inspection regimes across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Mauritius, Iran, and the African Indian Ocean states vary in rigour. ArcNautical evaluates vessel-level detention probability using flag performance, age, deficiency history, and ownership opacity signals.

Recent Arrivals at Saldanha Bay

Last 10 vessel arrivals recorded by ArcNautical's AIS pipeline (last 90 days):

ArrivedVesselFlagType
2026-06-10 Unknown vessel 🇳🇴 NO Cargo
2026-06-10 Unknown vessel 🇳🇴 NO Cargo
2026-06-10 GH HELM 🇧🇲 BM Cargo
2026-06-07 ALTZEK 🇱🇷 LR Cargo
2026-06-07 Unknown vessel 🇳🇴 NO Cargo
2026-06-07 ALTZEK 🇱🇷 LR Cargo
2026-06-06 ALTZEK 🇱🇷 LR Cargo
2026-06-06 YASA URANUS 🇲🇭 MH Cargo
2026-05-31 ALTZEK 🇱🇷 LR Cargo
2026-05-31 EQUINOX GALINI 🇰🇾 KY Cargo

Score a Voyage from Saldanha Bay

Plan and score a voyage from Saldanha Bay using 10 intelligence signals. Get composite risk scores, route-level threat exposure, sanctions screening, and fuel/CII estimates.

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Nearby Ports

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Namibia · Container Terminal · ~630 nm
🇦🇴 Lobito
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🇦🇴 Luanda
Angola · Multi-Purpose Port · ~1474 nm
🇨🇩 Matadi 🟠 Sanctions program
DR Congo · General Cargo Port · ~1651 nm
🇨🇬 Pointe-Noire
Congo · Multi-Purpose Port · ~1727 nm
🇬🇦 Libreville
Gabon · Multi-Purpose Port · ~2061 nm
🇬🇶 Malabo
Equatorial Guinea · Multi-Purpose Port · ~2267 nm