Kuwait suspends navigation at Shuwaikh, Shuaiba ports due to bad weather

The Kuwait Ports Authority on Sunday evening temporarily suspended navigation at Shuwaikh and Shuaiba ports due to deteriorating weather conditions.

The Meteorological Department expects gradual improvement in weather conditions, though dust and the possibility of light scattered rain may continue through Monday.

In an official statement, the Authority said the suspension was implemented to ensure the safety of maritime crews and port facilities, as wind speeds reached up to 82 kilometers per hour and horizontal visibility dropped significantly.

Earlier in the day, the Meteorological Department had warned of active winds and poor visibility affecting large parts of the country. Acting Director of the Meteorology Department, Dharar Al-Ali, told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that satellite imagery and weather radar showed extensive cloud cover across Kuwait, including low and medium clouds with patches of cumulus formations. These conditions, combined with strong winds, significantly reduced visibility — in some areas, visibility dropped below 1,000 meters and even to zero.

Al-Ali also noted that some automatic monitoring stations recorded sustained winds exceeding 70 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching over 100 kilometers per hour.