Supply chain disruptions and port congestion are here to stay. Find out what to expect in Kuehne+Nagel's weekly port operational update.
Congo
Pointe Noire: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.35 days. Fixed berthing windows are suspended, increasing waiting times. Reefer yard occupancy is high due to higher import volumes.
Egypt
El Iskandariya (Alexandria): Vessel waiting times have increased further this week, as indicated in the table above. Yard and reefer plug utilisation is high at all terminals. Further delays can be expected in the event of adverse weather conditions.
Djibouti
Djibouti: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.13 days. Productivity is low due to the reduced number of working cranes and high yard occupancy.
Maersk has reinstated booking acceptance to Djibouti after suspending new bookings due to the Red Sea situation. The carrier notes the situation remains volatile and could change on short notice.
South Africa
Cape Town: Vessel waiting time has increased this week to 3.38 days due to the lack of equipment and strong winds. Port productivity at CTCT has improved and is expected to recover fully in two weeks. Productivity is still low at MPT due to crane breakdowns.
Durban: Vessels continue to wait more than 5 days on average, according to seaexplorer data. Carriers report some vessels could wait up to 30 days. Equipment challenges and weather issues result in lower productivity across all terminals. At Pier 2, there are limited trucking slots.
Port Elizabeth: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. One berth is unavailable at NCT until the end of March. Crane unavailability at PECT And NCT is impacting productivity. Recovery at NCT is expected at the beginning of April.
Tanzania
Dar es Salaam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time improved this week to 12.40 days. Bad weather, vessel bunching and power outages are causing congestion. Priority berthing under the government's directives also contributes to delays.
UAE
Jebel Ali: The port is experiencing high congestion because of an increase in vessel arrivals due to the Red Sea diversions. Some vessels are delayed 4-6 days on arrival and consequently delayed on departure. The situation is expected to take several weeks to normalise. For more details, please refer to our advisory.
Australia
Melbourne: Protests are no longer affecting port operations in Melbourne; however, vessels can wait up to 4 days for a berth.
Malaysia
Port Klang: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased to 2 days this week due to vessel bunching and low productivity, particularly in West Port.
Sri Lanka
Colombo: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.22 days. Colombo is experiencing increased vessel calls due to the re-routing around the Red Sea. On-time vessels berth on arrival. Those arriving off-window can expect delayed berthing. The yard occupancy is high, impacting productivity.
Taiwan
A strong 7.5 M coastal earthquake struck Taiwan's eastern coast on 3 April, causing infrastructure damage. The port of Hualien - not a liner container port - has suspended cargo handling.
Transport disruptions are to be expected in the area. Tsunami warnings were initially issued but have since been downgraded. Aftershocks measuring 6.5-7 in magnitude are possible over the next three to four days.
Finland
Trade unions representing port workers have announced extending the port strikes for another week. The strike began on 11 March, halting all vessel operations at Finnish ports. LCL shipments will be rerouted through other European countries.
Italy
Labour unions called for 2 to 24-hour strikes in Genoa and Venezia from 3 to 5 April. Genoa Port will witness a 24-hour strike on 5 April. Strikes and unrest are possible at other Italian ports. Impacts on connected transport operations, significant disruptions, and potential delays and cancellations can also be expected.
Spain
Dockworkers took part in a 2-hour strike from 13:30 to 15:30 on 3 April. Delays in container movements can be expected after the end of the strike.
Canada
The union representing Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail engineers and conductors has authorised a strike vote from 8 April to 1 May. If the strike is authorised, the earliest a walkout or lockout could occur is 22 May, causing rail disruptions across Canada and into the US.
Negotiations assisted by federal conciliators have been ongoing since 1 March. The talks include CPKC rail traffic controllers, who are represented by TCRC in Canada. More talks are scheduled this month.
USA
Baltimore: The Port of Baltimore is closed to shipping after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Carriers have stopped accepting bookings to/from Baltimore for the foreseeable future.
Cargo en route will be diverted to alternate ports, including Norfolk, Philidelphia, and New York, either by road or rail, subject to capacity availability. While major disruptions to neighbouring ports are not expected, delays could occur due to the volume shifts.
The port allows pick-up and drop-off of empty containers only.
If you have any questions about the impact on your cargo, contact your local Kuehne+Nagel office.
Houston: The waiting time in Houston remains slightly elevated due to the high yard density at the Bayport terminal.
Brazil
Navegantes: As of 3 April, no vessels have been berthed in Navegantes, and one is at anchor. Access to the port can be intermittently interrupted by heavy rainfall.
In addition, due to civil works on port infrastructure, arrival windows are suspended, and only one vessel can berth at a time. Construction will be carried out in two phases, with only one side of the pier operational. Completion is expected in the second half of 2025. The upgrade would improve infrastructure at the port, including allowing larger vessels to berth.
Paranagua: Terminal congestion and weather interruptions keep vessel waiting times above 3 days this week.
Chile
The Port Union of Chile and Front of Port Workers have scheduled a national three-shift strike on Thursday, 4 April, from 08:00. This could affect vessel operations and the entry/exit of containers at terminals, including those in warehouses.
Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Trucking shortages persist in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, causing delays in import and export movements. Container pick-up from ports is subject to trucking slot availability.
Guatemala
Puerto Quetzal: The average 7-day vessel waiting time is around 2.67 days due to high yard congestion and limited crane availability.
Mexico
Veracruz: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 2 days. Strong winds interrupted port operations last week, causing delays. Two cranes at ICAV will undergo repairs over the next 3 months. This could impact vessel operations.
