Severe flooding in southern Thailand has disrupted maritime crew changes at the port of Songkhla and affected access to Hat Yai International Airport, a key transit point for seafarers.
GAC Thailand advised crew members scheduled to embark or disembark at Songkhla to remain in their hotels because persistent heavy rains have left essential access roads under water. The company noted that the port remains operational but expects marine activity to run at reduced capacity. The crew transportation will be arranged “when conditions improve.”
Authorities have designated all 16 districts of Songkhla province as a disaster zone after floods that began on 19 November, with Hat Yai district fully evacuated due to rapidly rising water levels. The disruption has limited overland movements between hotels, the port and the airport, which remains open but is reachable only with difficulty.
The flooding is part of a broader monsoon emergency in southern Thailand. Offshore, Thailand’s meteorological and disaster-relief agencies have warned of rough seas in the Gulf of Thailand, with waves exceeding three metres in storm-affected areas. Small vessels have been advised to remain in port, limiting the use of craft typically employed for ship-to-shore crew transfers and making routine crew changes difficult even when larger vessels can still call at Songkhla.
Rail services in the lower South have been partially suspended due to inundated tracks, further complicating the movement of seafarers who rely on mixed transport to reach or leave Songkhla. Several key roads linking Hat Yai, Songkhla city and surrounding districts have been cut, according to official channels, forcing some communities to rely on boats and restricting access for maritime staff and service providers.
For shipping companies using Songkhla, the immediate effect is logistical disruption rather than full operational suspension. With evacuation efforts focused on residents and tourists and with access roads under water, crew rotations, surveyor visits and other husbandry services are likely to be delayed until ground transport becomes functional again.
GAC (Gulf Agency Company) is an international shipping, logistics and marine services group established in 1956 in Kuwait. It operates a global network of more than 300 offices in over 50 countries, serving commercial shipping and maritime clients through ship agency, freight services and marine support activities.
