You can expect some significant traffic congestion at the V&A Waterfront, tomorrow, Wednesday 12 March. This is as 2 cruise ships will simultaneously dock there.
Smith added, “We will have officers conducting point duty, particularly to prevent the blocking of intersections, which is arguably one of the chief irritations for other motorists and contributes to the gridlock.”
Significant traffic congestion at the V&A Waterfront
Management at the Waterfront have warned motorists and visitors that they can expect significant traffic congestion, which will cause delays. Motorists have been asked to plan their routes accordingly.
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The City says the vessels are carrying more than 5 000 passengers and 2 000 crew members. It will arrive between 05:00 and 06:00 on Wednesday morning, 12 March 2025, and depart from 16:00.
He added, “Where possible, please avoid the precinct on the day. If you must travel in these areas, please be patient, courteous and abide by the rules of the road and the instructions of staff on the ground.”
MSC Musica and the Norwegian Dawn to dock here
The 2 cruise ships, which will dock here, are the MSC Musica and the Norwegian Dawn. They will throw anchor at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal. The cruise ships are expected to arrive in the Mother City between 7am and 7pm. Over 5,000 passengers will be disembarking from the vessels, which will lead to delays as people enter and exit, the Precinct.
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Traffic congestion expected, plan your route
The V&A Waterfront says additional traffic marshals will be on site to move traffic along Dock Road. Management have asked for patience and cooperation as they work to manage traffic flow effectively.
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Traffic marshals will be deployed
Meanwhile, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Ald JP Smith says they’re working closely with the V&A Waterfront to mitigate traffic impacts, particularly on and around Nelson Mandela Boulevard, FW De Klerk Boulevard and Buitengracht Street. He urges motorists to:
- Plan alternative routes around the Waterfront area during peak times
- Factor in additional time for travel over this period
- Limit non-essential travel in the CBD area
- Consult the various online navigation tools to find the best route to their destinations
- Exercise patience, and refrain from blocking intersections
Smith says passengers who are scheduled to board are advised to please arrive early, and to use the Christiaan Barnaard and Marine Drive entrances to the docks instead of the general Waterfront access routes. This will help alleviate the impact on other road users.
Smith made it clear that the City’s Traffic Signal Operators will monitor conditions on Nelson Mandela Boulevard, FW De Klerk Boulevard and Buitengracht Street closely on Wednesday. He says operators will use CCTV cameras to pinpoint the location and extent of vehicle queues throughout the day and activate appropriate signal timing plans to best manage these queues.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos said Cape Town has been experiencing one of its busiest tourism seasons ever.
“This is the result of years of hard work with City partners to position Cape Town as a globally-connected destination.“
