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

Kenya

Mombasa: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.65 days. The terminal is experiencing sustained congestion and reduced productivity, driven by equipment shortages and elevated transhipment volumes. Berth delays persist due to off-window vessel bunching. Carriers report waiting times of up to 4 days.

Mauritius

Port Louis: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5 days due to adverse weather and operational challenges. Some carriers report waiting times of up to 12 days.

South Africa

Cape Town: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. Generally smooth operations; intermittent wind gusts noted earlier in the period.

Durban: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.97 days. Vessels arrive largely on time but experience a 2–3 day berthing delay due to terminal maintenance; split discharges occur at DCT and Point. Clear week ahead with no weather stoppages expected.

Tanzania

Dar es Salaam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is approximately 3.16 days. Berthing sequence adjustments are contributing to extended waiting times. Terminal gate and road congestion are hindering the flow of equipment. Ongoing quay maintenance at Adani terminal over the next two years may further affect operational efficiency.

Asia Oceania

China

Nansha: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.43 days.

Ningbo: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.47 days due to berth and port congestion. At YZCT and CMICT terminals, maintenance dredging is currently underway, further complicating the operational situation.

Qingdao: The 7-day average waiting time is around 1.92 days due to port congestion and vessel bunching. Some carriers report waiting times of up to 3 days.

Shanghai: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.87 days due to berth and port congestion as well as vessel bunching. Conditions stabilised after prior typhoon-related closures in South China.

Korea

Busan: Around 2 days of berthing delay; mega-vessel bunching causing congestion at PNIT.

Malaysia

Port Klang: The average vessel waiting time is approximately 1.19 days due to berth congestion and vessel bunching. The high yard density is at around 85% and impacts productivity.

Europe

Belgium

Antwerp: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.1 days. As of 15 October, Belgian sea pilots at the Port of Antwerp commenced a “maximum rest” action, reducing logistics operations to roughly 70% of normal capacity. The port reports that this go-slow initiative is hindering the re-establishment of a smooth nautical chain. Read more.

Germany

Hamburg: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.1 days. A fire broke out at Hamburg-Altenwerder terminal around 09:50 am during the dismantling of a container crane. The incident prompted a swift response. Read more.

France

Le Havre: Terminals report around 3 days’ berthing delay; schedules remain sensitive to labour actions elsewhere in the region.

Greece

Piraeus: The port is currently congested, with an average 7-day vessel waiting time of around 5.78 days.

Italy

La Spezia: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. Yard density remains high at 78%, but within manageable operational limits.

Netherlands

Rotterdam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.61 days. Although the strikes in Rotterdam are over, delays and disruptions are still highly likely. Read more. Yard utilisation remains elevated due to barge/feeder delays (24–48 hours) and inter-terminal transfer limits at ECT, so residual delays are expected.

Spain

Barcelona: The yard is at around 81%. Schedule reliability impacted regionally.

Valencia: Due to vessel bunching, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.97 days. The yard is high at 90%.

Turkey

Istanbul: There is approximately a 3-day berthing delay due to localised congestion, which disrupts schedule integrity.

Izmir: A 2-day berthing delay has been reported; moderate congestion is present at the gates and yard.

United Kingdom

Grangemouth: The yard is slightly congested at around 82%.

Southampton: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1 day. Yard utilisation stands at 79% for dry containers and 81% for reefers. The schedule remains congested, with one crane out of service on SCT5, although all others are operational.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

Bangladesh

Chittagong (Chattogram): The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.2 days. Berthing congestion at Chittagong Port has significantly eased up. Geared & ungeared vessels can wait up to 2 days for a berth. The yard is at around 71%. Gearless vessels must depart within 48 hours, regardless of laden or empty load balance. Extended stays are not allowed if laden units aren’t ready at the hook point.

Sri Lanka

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

United Arab Emirates

Jebel Ali: Productivity is currently being impacted due to operational delays arising from crane malfunctions.

North America

Canada

Montreal: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1 day. The average rail dwell time is around 6 days. The yard is at around 71% while vessel productivity remains high.

Vancouver: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.7 days. The average rail dwell time is around 7 days. Container yard utilisation is at around 77%.

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

• Halifax: 5 days
• Montreal: 8 days
• Prince Rupert: 7 days
• Saint John: 7 days
• Vancouver: 10 days

Mexico

Lazaro Cardenas: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1 day. The average truck dwell time for imports is around 96 hours. For rail it is 72 hrs import and export.

Manzanillo: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.38 days. The average Truck dwell time is around 72 hours for export and 6 days for import. The import rail dwell time can be up to 7 days, and export up to 72 hrs.

Veracruz: The port is currently affected by severe flooding. Read more.

United States

New York: Some carriers report waiting times of up to 3 days. APMT cranes on the East berth are fully operational; one South berth crane is out of service until the end of November.

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

Savannah: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is approximately 2 days.

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

• Montreal: 4 days
• Prince Rupert: 4 days
• Vancouver: 8 days
• Charleston: 1 days
• Houston: 10 days
• Los Angeles: 6 days
• Long Beach: 5 days
• New York: 3 days
• Norfolk: 3 days
• Savannah: 1 day

South and Central America

Brazil

Santos: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.53 days. The yard is at 73% utilisation due to a high number of manoeuvres in the channel as well as severe weather.

Nicaragua

Corinto: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.58 days. The yard density is high. Vessels can wait up to 10 days before operations begin at the port.

Uruguay

Montevideo: The strike at the TCP terminal was officially suspended last Friday (10 October) for a period of ten days to facilitate constructive dialogue. The union continues to oppose the NAVIS N4 system implementation, demanding a six-hour working day with eight-hour pay. The company remains committed to resolving the matter through negotiations while maintaining operational continuity.

How Kuehne+Nagel estimates port disruption statuses

Seaexplorer has four port statuses that are estimated based mainly on the 7-day average vessel waiting time. Other factors include yard congestion, labour strikes, natural disasters or intermodal disruptions. Slightly different rules are applied to major ports, or ports that are hubs in their region, as they are typically more efficient. 

• Business as usual means the port is currently operating without any significant disruption;
• Slightly disrupted is used if the 7-day average vessel waiting time exceeds 2 days;
• Heavily disrupted is used if the 7-day average vessel waiting time exceeds 4 days; and
• Port closed is used when the port suspends operations due to a major disruptive event.

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.