Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope Shipping Data
The Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa, is the primary alternative route when the Suez Canal or Red Sea chokepoints are disrupted. Adding 10 to 14 days of sailing time versus the Suez shortcut, the Cape route absorbs massive volumes of container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers during crises — from the 2021 Ever Given grounding to Red Sea security incidents. FinzData's Global Macro Pulse delivers daily transit counts and capacity by vessel type for the Cape of Good Hope since 2019, giving traders, economists, and data scientists a point-in-time view of exactly what the market knew each day.
Why this chokepoint matters
The Cape of Good Hope is not a narrow strait but a wide-open ocean passage — yet it functions as a chokepoint because it is the only viable alternative when the Suez-Red Sea corridor closes. Rerouting around the Cape adds 3,000 to 4,000 nautical miles, increasing fuel consumption, voyage duration, and charter rates. Container lines adjust schedules and surcharges; tanker markets tighten as vessels spend more days at sea; bulk carriers face longer round-trip times. Daily data by vessel type lets you quantify the rerouting magnitude in real time: container ships signal supply-chain delays, tankers signal energy-flow displacement, and dry bulk signals commodity-logistics strain.
- Container ships: measure supply-chain rerouting and schedule inflation
- Tankers: track energy-flow displacement and ton-mile demand
- Dry bulk: gauge commodity-logistics strain from longer voyages
- General cargo and ro-ro: capture niche and regional rerouting
What the data shows
FinzData's chokepoints dataset provides daily transit counts and total deadweight capacity for each vessel category passing the Cape of Good Hope since 2019. Each row is a point-in-time snapshot — what was known that day — so backtests and event studies stay honest. Aggregate to weekly or monthly frequency, compute rolling averages, or compare current activity to the pre-crisis baseline. The five vessel-type breakdown enables granular analysis of how different segments respond to Suez disruptions, seasonal weather, or freight-market cycles.
- Daily frequency, 2019 to present
- Five vessel-type breakdowns
- Transit counts and capacity (deadweight tonnes)
- Point-in-time snapshots for reproducible research
How to use it
Access the data through your FinzData API key with a simple GET request: GET https://api.finzdata.com/v1/pulse/chokepoints?match=cape-of-good-hope. The MCP tool get_global_pulse also surfaces this series for AI-assisted workflows — ask Claude, ChatGPT, or Grok with the FinzData connector. Combine with the ports dataset for South African and West African port context, or with Bab el-Mandeb data to model the full rerouting picture. The same key unlocks 16,000+ US stocks, 5,100+ ETFs, 139 futures markets, and 18,000+ macro series for cross-asset modeling.
- REST API with match filter for chokepoint name
- MCP tool
get_global_pulsefor AI assistants - Same key: equities, ETFs, futures, macro
- Point-in-time integrity for backtesting
Ask your AI
With the FinzData connector installed, you can ask your AI assistant questions like:
- Using FinzData, show me daily container transits around the Cape of Good Hope since 2023 and flag the weeks when Suez transits dropped below 20 per day.
- Using FinzData, compare tanker capacity via the Cape in 2024 versus 2022 and calculate the implied ton-mile increase.
- Using FinzData, build a combined view of Bab el-Mandeb and Cape of Good Hope transits for all five vessel types with a rerouting ratio.
Get the data
FinzData Global Macro Pulse gives you every chokepoints dataset, full history, and point-in-time integrity for a one-time $195. Single themes like Shipping, ports & cargo are $29, or $145 alongside another data purchase. Every API key includes the last 30 days free.
Try the last 30 days free. Add the Shipping, ports & cargo theme for $29 if you only need chokepoints and ports.
Frequently asked questions
What vessel types are covered?
Container ships, dry bulk carriers, tankers, general cargo vessels, and roll-on/roll-off ships — each with daily transit counts and capacity.
How far back does the data go?
Daily data starts in 2019 and continues to the present.
Is the data point-in-time?
Yes. Each row reflects what was known on that date, with no look-ahead bias, so backtests and event studies are reliable.
Can I combine this with other chokepoint data?
Absolutely. The same API key provides all 28 chokepoints, plus ports, air traffic, road traffic, Asia tech exports, 16,000+ US stocks, 5,100+ ETFs, 139 futures markets, and 18,000+ macro series.