Data through 2026-11-08 (8 November 2026)
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Cyclone Freddy halts cargo handling at the port of Beira in Mozambique

Cyclone Freddy halts cargo handling at the port of Beira in Mozambique. The disruption ran from 2023-02-22 (22 February 2023) to 2023-03-01 (March 2023), affecting Beira. Beira averaged 1.5 calls per day during the event window against an expected 1.6 (-0.1). Beira averaged 0.6 calls per day during the event window against an expected 0.6 (+0.0).

World Freight Monitor permanent record. https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/cyclone-freddy-beira-port-2023/. Record last updated 2026-10-29.

Key facts

Started
2023-02-22 (22 February 2023)
Ended
2023-03-01 (March 2023)
Status
ended
Severity
2 Moderate
Scope
port
Chokepoints
None
Ports
Beira
Lanes
None
Countries
Mozambique
Confidence
medium: The February closure is reported by two wire services quoting the terminal operator, and the March suspension by a shipping agent and by a trade report of the state company's annual report. No source gives reopening dates, and the CFM report itself was not located.
First reported
2023-02-22 (22 February 2023)
  • Severity basis: Cargo handling paused from 2023-02-23, and CFM reports a 10 day March suspension of three Beira operations, which falls in the 24 hours to 7 days port band and the over 72 hours terminal band.

What happened

Tropical Cyclone Freddy interrupted cargo handling at the port of Beira in central Mozambique in two spells in 2023. Ships were cleared from the port on 2023-02-22 (22 February 2023), and the terminal operator Cornelder de Moçambique paused handling from the morning of 2023-02-23, saying the port would stay shut until 19:00 on 2023-02-24 if the weather allowed. On 2023-03-10 (10 March 2023) a shipping agent reported the port closed until further notice as the storm approached again. Mozambique's state ports and railways company later reported that its Beira oil terminal, coal terminal and maritime services stopped for 10 days in March, and that the Sena rail line was shut for 35 days. The sources reviewed give no exact reopening dates for either spell.

Measured effect

Port calls, Beira

Baseline (expected)
1.6 calls per day
Observed
1.5 calls per day
Change
-0.1 (percent omitted, baseline too small)
Standardised score
-0.0
Event window
2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31 (38 days)
Baseline window
2022-12-21 to 2023-02-14 (46 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-10-29 (29 October 2026), data revision 1:19ca59698077
Port calls, BeiraPort calls, Beira, 2022-12-14 (14 December 2022) to 2023-05-12 (12 May 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2022-12-22 to 6 calls per day on 2023-02-25, with a mean of 1.6 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-05-12, was 3 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31.02462022-12-142023-02-272023-05-12
Port calls, Beira, 2022-12-14 (14 December 2022) to 2023-05-12 (12 May 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2022-12-22 to 6 calls per day on 2023-02-25, with a mean of 1.6 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-05-12, was 3 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31.

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms. Retrieved 2026-11-10 (10 November 2026).

Port calls, Beira (calls per day).
Datecalls per day
2022-12-142
2022-12-151
2022-12-162
2022-12-175
2022-12-181
2022-12-192
2022-12-201
2022-12-211
2022-12-220
2022-12-232
2022-12-240
2022-12-252
2022-12-262
2022-12-274
2022-12-281
2022-12-291
2022-12-301
2022-12-311
2023-01-010
2023-01-022
2023-01-034
2023-01-041
2023-01-053
2023-01-062
2023-01-073
2023-01-080
2023-01-091
2023-01-103
2023-01-112
2023-01-121
2023-01-133
2023-01-142
2023-01-151
2023-01-162
2023-01-171
2023-01-182
2023-01-192
2023-01-201
2023-01-211
2023-01-221
2023-01-231
2023-01-242
2023-01-253
2023-01-260
2023-01-272
2023-01-282
2023-01-293
2023-01-302
2023-01-311
2023-02-011
2023-02-024
2023-02-031
2023-02-041
2023-02-052
2023-02-063
2023-02-073
2023-02-081
2023-02-090
2023-02-103
2023-02-111
2023-02-123
2023-02-132
2023-02-142
2023-02-151
2023-02-161
2023-02-171
2023-02-181
2023-02-193
2023-02-202
2023-02-210
2023-02-220
2023-02-230
2023-02-240
2023-02-256
2023-02-260
2023-02-272
2023-02-281
2023-03-012
2023-03-021
2023-03-034
2023-03-041
2023-03-050
2023-03-062
2023-03-071
2023-03-080
2023-03-091
2023-03-100
2023-03-110
2023-03-120
2023-03-135
2023-03-141
2023-03-151
2023-03-163
2023-03-171
2023-03-181
2023-03-192
2023-03-202
2023-03-212
2023-03-222
2023-03-232
2023-03-242
2023-03-253
2023-03-260
2023-03-271
2023-03-283
2023-03-292
2023-03-302
2023-03-311
2023-04-011
2023-04-022
2023-04-031
2023-04-043
2023-04-051
2023-04-060
2023-04-072
2023-04-081
2023-04-092
2023-04-101
2023-04-112
2023-04-122
2023-04-132
2023-04-143
2023-04-151
2023-04-162
2023-04-171
2023-04-180
2023-04-191
2023-04-200
2023-04-213
2023-04-220
2023-04-232
2023-04-243
2023-04-251
2023-04-262
2023-04-273
2023-04-281
2023-04-291
2023-04-302
2023-05-010
2023-05-023
2023-05-032
2023-05-042
2023-05-053
2023-05-060
2023-05-073
2023-05-082
2023-05-092
2023-05-100
2023-05-112
2023-05-123

Window set by the editor: The window runs to the end of March 2023 because the CFM report places the 10 day suspension in March without giving dates.

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Dry bulk port calls, Beira

Baseline (expected)
0.6 calls per day
Observed
0.6 calls per day
Change
+0.0 (percent omitted, baseline too small)
Standardised score
+0.0
Event window
2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31 (38 days)
Baseline window
2022-12-21 to 2023-02-14 (46 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-10-29 (29 October 2026), data revision 1:2404cb821bbf
Dry bulk port calls, BeiraDry bulk port calls, Beira, 2022-12-14 (14 December 2022) to 2023-05-12 (12 May 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2022-12-14 to 4 calls per day on 2023-03-13, with a mean of 0.6 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-05-12, was 2 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31.012342022-12-142023-02-272023-05-12
Dry bulk port calls, Beira, 2022-12-14 (14 December 2022) to 2023-05-12 (12 May 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2022-12-14 to 4 calls per day on 2023-03-13, with a mean of 0.6 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-05-12, was 2 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31.

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms. Retrieved 2026-11-10 (10 November 2026).

Dry bulk port calls, Beira (calls per day).
Datecalls per day
2022-12-140
2022-12-151
2022-12-160
2022-12-171
2022-12-181
2022-12-190
2022-12-200
2022-12-210
2022-12-220
2022-12-231
2022-12-240
2022-12-250
2022-12-260
2022-12-272
2022-12-280
2022-12-290
2022-12-300
2022-12-310
2023-01-010
2023-01-020
2023-01-032
2023-01-041
2023-01-051
2023-01-061
2023-01-071
2023-01-080
2023-01-090
2023-01-101
2023-01-112
2023-01-120
2023-01-131
2023-01-141
2023-01-151
2023-01-161
2023-01-170
2023-01-180
2023-01-191
2023-01-200
2023-01-210
2023-01-221
2023-01-230
2023-01-240
2023-01-251
2023-01-260
2023-01-272
2023-01-280
2023-01-292
2023-01-302
2023-01-310
2023-02-011
2023-02-021
2023-02-031
2023-02-040
2023-02-051
2023-02-062
2023-02-070
2023-02-080
2023-02-090
2023-02-101
2023-02-111
2023-02-122
2023-02-130
2023-02-141
2023-02-150
2023-02-160
2023-02-170
2023-02-180
2023-02-192
2023-02-201
2023-02-210
2023-02-220
2023-02-230
2023-02-240
2023-02-253
2023-02-260
2023-02-270
2023-02-281
2023-03-010
2023-03-020
2023-03-032
2023-03-040
2023-03-050
2023-03-061
2023-03-070
2023-03-080
2023-03-091
2023-03-100
2023-03-110
2023-03-120
2023-03-134
2023-03-140
2023-03-150
2023-03-162
2023-03-170
2023-03-180
2023-03-190
2023-03-201
2023-03-211
2023-03-220
2023-03-231
2023-03-242
2023-03-251
2023-03-260
2023-03-271
2023-03-281
2023-03-290
2023-03-301
2023-03-310
2023-04-010
2023-04-020
2023-04-030
2023-04-041
2023-04-050
2023-04-060
2023-04-070
2023-04-080
2023-04-091
2023-04-101
2023-04-110
2023-04-120
2023-04-131
2023-04-141
2023-04-151
2023-04-161
2023-04-170
2023-04-180
2023-04-190
2023-04-200
2023-04-210
2023-04-220
2023-04-232
2023-04-241
2023-04-251
2023-04-261
2023-04-270
2023-04-280
2023-04-290
2023-04-300
2023-05-010
2023-05-021
2023-05-031
2023-05-040
2023-05-051
2023-05-060
2023-05-072
2023-05-080
2023-05-090
2023-05-100
2023-05-111
2023-05-122

Window set by the editor: The window runs to the end of March 2023 because the CFM report places the 10 day suspension in March without giving dates.

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Replay

Replay: Port calls, BeiraPort calls, Beira, 2022-12-24 (24 December 2022) to 2023-03-31 (31 March 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2022-12-24 to 6 calls per day on 2023-02-25. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31.02462022-12-242023-03-31
Port calls, Beira, 2022-12-24 (24 December 2022) to 2023-03-31 (31 March 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2022-12-24 to 6 calls per day on 2023-02-25. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-02-22 to 2023-03-31.

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms. Retrieved 2026-11-10 (10 November 2026).

Port calls, Beira (calls per day), daily values shown in the replay.
Datecalls per day
2022-12-240
2022-12-252
2022-12-262
2022-12-274
2022-12-281
2022-12-291
2022-12-301
2022-12-311
2023-01-010
2023-01-022
2023-01-034
2023-01-041
2023-01-053
2023-01-062
2023-01-073
2023-01-080
2023-01-091
2023-01-103
2023-01-112
2023-01-121
2023-01-133
2023-01-142
2023-01-151
2023-01-162
2023-01-171
2023-01-182
2023-01-192
2023-01-201
2023-01-211
2023-01-221
2023-01-231
2023-01-242
2023-01-253
2023-01-260
2023-01-272
2023-01-282
2023-01-293
2023-01-302
2023-01-311
2023-02-011
2023-02-024
2023-02-031
2023-02-041
2023-02-052
2023-02-063
2023-02-073
2023-02-081
2023-02-090
2023-02-103
2023-02-111
2023-02-123
2023-02-132
2023-02-142
2023-02-151
2023-02-161
2023-02-171
2023-02-181
2023-02-193
2023-02-202
2023-02-210
2023-02-220
2023-02-230
2023-02-240
2023-02-256
2023-02-260
2023-02-272
2023-02-281
2023-03-012
2023-03-021
2023-03-034
2023-03-041
2023-03-050
2023-03-062
2023-03-071
2023-03-080
2023-03-091
2023-03-100
2023-03-110
2023-03-120
2023-03-135
2023-03-141
2023-03-151
2023-03-163
2023-03-171
2023-03-181
2023-03-192
2023-03-202
2023-03-212
2023-03-222
2023-03-232
2023-03-242
2023-03-253
2023-03-260
2023-03-271
2023-03-283
2023-03-292
2023-03-302
2023-03-311

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Timeline

  1. A shipping agent reports that all ships have left the Beira port berths for the anchorage and that force majeure applies, with the national weather institute forecasting landfall for 2023-02-24. [s3]
  2. Cornelder de Moçambique tells clients it is pausing operations at Beira from the morning, ahead of the cyclone. [s2]
  3. The operator says the port will stay closed until 19:00 local time, subject to the weather improving. The sources reviewed do not confirm when handling resumed. [s1] [s2]
  4. The state ports and railways company CFM later reports that Freddy halted its Beira oil terminal, coal terminal (TCC 8) and maritime services for 10 days in March, and that the Sena rail line was shut for 35 days. [s5]
  5. A shipping agent advises that Beira port is closed until further notice as Freddy approaches the Mozambique Channel for a second time. [s4]

Cause

Cargo handling stopped ahead of and during the passage of Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which the national weather institute forecast would make landfall in Mozambique on 2023-02-24. Attributed by: Cornelder de Moçambique and CFM, as reported by Reuters, Bloomberg, Inchcape Shipping Services and Club of Mozambique. [s1] [s3] [s5]

Resolution

2023-03-01 (1 March 2023): The sources reviewed give no reopening dates. CFM's report says the March suspension of its oil terminal, coal terminal and maritime services lasted 10 days, so the record ends at month precision in March 2023. [s5]

Corrections

No corrections to this record as of 2026-10-29 (29 October 2026).

Sources

  1. [s1] Daily Maverick (Reuters), Mozambicans seek shelter, Beira port closed as Storm Freddy nears, published 2023-02-24 (24 February 2023), accessed 2026-10-28. Archived copy. (press)
  2. [s2] American Journal of Transportation (Bloomberg), Storm Freddy roars in, halting trade at key Mozambican port, published 2023-02-24 (24 February 2023), accessed 2026-10-28. Archived copy. (press)
  3. [s3] Inchcape Shipping Services, Cyclone Freddy approaches Mozambique, published 2023-02-22 (22 February 2023), accessed 2026-10-28. Archived copy. (press)
  4. [s4] Inchcape Shipping Services, Cyclone Fredy - 2nd Landfall, published 2023-03-10 (10 March 2023), accessed 2026-10-28. Archived copy. (press)
  5. [s5] Club of Mozambique (reporting the CFM annual report), Mozambique's state-owned ports and railways posts E43 million profit in 2023, published 2024-07-29 (29 July 2024), accessed 2026-10-28. Archived copy. (press)

Cite this record

The address of this record is permanent and a correction is always logged on this page, so a citation names the version you read. Add the date you accessed it.

Plain text

World Freight Monitor. "Cyclone Freddy halts cargo handling at the port of Beira in Mozambique." Last updated 2026-10-29 (29 October 2026). https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/cyclone-freddy-beira-port-2023/

APA

World Freight Monitor. (2026). Cyclone Freddy halts cargo handling at the port of Beira in Mozambique. World Freight Monitor. https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/cyclone-freddy-beira-port-2023/

BibTeX

@misc{wfm_cyclone_freddy_beira_port_2023,
  author = {{World Freight Monitor}},
  title = {Cyclone Freddy halts cargo handling at the port of Beira in Mozambique},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Last updated 2026-10-29},
  url = {https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/cyclone-freddy-beira-port-2023/}
}