Circumnavigate Africa, passing the Cape of Good Hope, could become cheaper, given the new price increases for the passage of ships through the Suez Canal, expected to enter in force from May 1st 2013.

ICS (International Chamber of Shipping) notify it, noting that at the time, due to the large contingent difficulties, some shipowners would not be able to sustain the increases.
In particular, the rates would suffer increases of 3% for normal ships and 5% for tankers and gas carrier ships.

These assessments should be included in a context in which recently there have been increases in rates of 3% for the transition from Suez, and in which we must not forget the risk factors related to the route which is still exposed to attack from pirates and under the indirect effects of instability in Yemen.

Precisely because of these problems, the reflections that are making many shipowners are clear, so then they are turning their attention to possible alternatives addressing their fleets through the Cape of Good Hope.

Compared to projected increases in surcharge for transit via the Suez Canal, IFA has already begun to negotiate freight's reductions to the proposed fare increase so that does not impact too much on the cost of transporting goods to its customers.