by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

• Stay ahead of supply chain disruptions and port congestion with Kuehne+Nagel’s weekly port operational update.
• Find out the latest vessel waiting times and status of ports in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, the Middle East-Indian Subcontinent, North America, and South and Central America. 

Africa

Ghana

Tema: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 2.8 days. On-window vessels wait on average a day for a berth, while off-window arrivals wait up to 3 days.

Ivory Coast

Abidjan: Significant yard congestion is impacting operational efficiency and causing delays in vessel berthing. Some carriers report waiting times of up to 3 days.

Mozambique

Beira: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 8.68 days due to congestion and severe weather, however some carriers report waiting times of up to 10 days.

Asia Oceania

Australia

Fremantle: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.5 days.

Sydney: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days.

China

A new tropical cyclone titled Bualoi intensified on 25 September with likely impact on the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and China this week. Read more.

South China Ports: Super Typhoon Ragasa caused the full suspension of gate operations at major terminals, including Yantian, Shekou, Nansha, and Hong Kong, from 22 to 25 September. Rail services in Guangdong Province were also suspended. Operations resumed on 25 September, but delays of 4–5 days were experienced.

Malaysia

Port Klang: Due to vessel bunching, the average vessel waiting time is approximately 1.05 days due to berth congestion and vessel bunching. The high yard density is at around 85% and impacts productivity.

New Zealand

Tauranga: TCT lost approximately 57 hours of operations due to high winds last week. Weather disruptions continued intermittently through mid-September.

Vietnam

Haiphong: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1 day. The port and berth are both congested. The container yard utilisation is up to around 80%.

Ho Chi Minh City: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.18 days. Due to ongoing port congestion, yard utilisation at Cat Lai remains consistently high at 90%, placing continued pressure on terminal operations.

Europe

Belgium

Antwerp: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.17 days. The terminal yard utilisation remains high at 75-80, with reefers up to 95% and the berth is full. Pilot station closures due to strong winds delayed Gemini vessel lineups. Barges experienced waiting times, prompting the opening of an additional terminal to reduce the backlog.

France

Labour unions announced a new 24-hour strike on the 2nd of October with potential impact across the country. Read more.

Fos-sur-Mer: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days.

Germany

Bremerhaven: Rail services between Bremen and Lübberstedt will be suspended from 2 to 6 October, so alternative routings via Bremervörde and Cuxhaven are being considered.

Hamburg: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.07 days. HHLA terminals experienced interruptions on 24 and 25 September due to staff assemblies. Strong winds on Monday and Tuesday restricted vessel traffic on the Elbe River, though the impact was minimal.

• CTA: Productivity was reduced early in the week due to an IT error, which was resolved by Wednesday. Construction at CTA reduced berth capacity, affecting delay recovery.
• CTB: The berthing line-up at CTB is congested, with a waiting time of up to 7 days. Yard density remains stable at 75%, though container dwell times vary.

Greece

Piraeus: The port is currently congested, with an average 7-day vessel waiting time of around 4.76 days.

Italy

Italian trade unions have carried out a full day of protests on 22 September. Demonstrators blocked access to some ports, causing delays. Read more.

Gioia Tauro: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days.

La Spezia: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.5 days. Yard density remains high at 77%, but within manageable operational limits.

Netherlands

Rotterdam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.51 days.

• ECT yard utilisation is around 85%. Gang availability remains a challenge. Barge and feeder delays reached up to 48 hours. ITT moves are still restricted. The berthing line-up is full.

Poland

Gdynia: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days.

Spain

Valencia: Due to vessel bunching, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.97 days. Yard density remains high at 80%, and the gates are slightly congested.

United Kingdom

London Gateway Port: Yard utilisation is 60% for dry and 50% for reefers. High winds on Monday and Tuesday lowered productivity and closed pilot stations, though vessel operations continued. Berth 4 has a draft restriction of 15.1m. Rail terminal performance improved after resolving RMG failures.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

Bangladesh

Chittagong (Chattogram): The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.35 days. Berthing congestion has eased, with delays averaging 1–3 days. Yard occupancy is at 85%. Equipment breakdowns and logistical issues are affecting operations.

Dhaka ICD: Dwelling times exceed 20 days due to locomotive shortages. Overweight containers face delays of over 30 days. Train departures remain limited.

Sri Lanka

Colombo: Terminal operations have been adversely affected due to high yard congestion, increased transhipment volumes, and unfavourable weather conditions.

North America

Canada

Average import rail dwell time for Canadian cargo (Vessel arrival to departure rail ramp):

• Halifax: 8 days
• Montreal: 8 days
• Prince Rupert: 5 days
• Saint John: 7 days
• Vancouver: 6 days

Mexico

Lazaro Cardenas: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.83 days. The average truck dwell time for import is around 96 hours and 72 for rail.

Manzanillo: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1 day. The average Truck dwell time is at around 72 hours for export. The import rail dwell time can be up to 8 days.

Veracruz: Carriers report waiting times of up to 6 days. 

United States

Average import rail dwell and transit time for US cargo (Vessel arrival to departure rail ramp): 

• Montreal: 5 days
• Prince Rupert: 4 days
• Vancouver: 6 days
• Charleston: 2 days
• Houston: 11 days
• Los Angeles: 6 days
• Long Beach: 5 days
• New York: 4 days
• Norfolk: 3 days
• Savannah: 2 days

South and Central America

Brazil

The drought in Manaus continues to impact water levels in the Amazon River, limiting navigation and vessel capacity.

Paranagua: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.25 days.

Rio Grande: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.1 days.

Santos: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.86 days

How Kuehne+Nagel calculates the 7-day average vessel waiting time

Mainline container vessels may spend a certain number of days waiting at designated anchorage areas before their scheduled port call.

To calculate the 7-day average waiting time, we consider the waiting days of these vessels, excluding: 

• Waiting times for feeder vessels, 
• Idle ships without an announced next port, 
• Slow steamers heading toward the anchorage but not actively waiting within the designated area
• Vessels passing through the anchorage area without intending to call at the port.

This rolling average is based on the data from the last seven days and is updated daily in seaexplorer.

To find the latest waiting time for a port, enter the port name or code in the search bar and select the relevant option.

Stay Ahead Stay Informed: Register for seaexplorer for the latest disruptions and vessel waiting times at global container ports.