by Priya Radünzel, 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, Middle East-Indian Subcontinent, North America, and South and Central America.   

Africa

Algeria

Berth congestion persists in Algiers, with around seven vessels at anchor at the time of publishing. The average vessel waiting time has decreased to around 5 days this week. Vessels continue to be diverted to Djen-Djen to ease congestion, increasing waiting times to 15 days this week. Likewise, vessels calling Skikda wait 12 days. The ports of Annaba and Oran are congested, but waiting times are manageable at 2 days.

Ghana

Tema: Carriers have reported that the bunching of off-window vessels has caused an increase in berthing delays of up to 2 days.

Guinea

Conakry: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5 days due to congestion.

Kenya

Mombasa: Vessel waiting time increased to 5 days this week. The port is recovering from adverse weather in May. Seaexplorer showed three vessels at anchor at the time of publishing.

Nigeria

Apapa: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 1 day; however, carriers report some vessels waiting up to 5 days for a berth.

South Africa

• The Bayhead Road Rehabilitation Project began on 3 June and is expected to continue until 15 December 2025. Slower road traffic flow and container movements in and out of the ports can be expected during this time. No staging will be allowed inside the port during the project.

• Congestion-related delays in Europe and other regions are affecting vessel schedules calling South African and other African trades.

Cape Town: Vessel berthing delays vary per service. While port operations are normal, intermittent strong winds and adverse weather can impact port productivity. At CTCT, ships can wait up to 3 days. At MPT, vessels berth on arrival.

Durban: Vessel waiting times at Pier 1 and Point can be up to 3 days. At Pier 2, vessels wait on average 1 day for a berth.

Tanzania

Dar Es Salaam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days; however, berthing schedules are increasing waiting times for some vessels. Service providers report road and gate congestion, resulting in extended container movement delays.

Asia Oceania

China

The sudden pause of US-China tariffs has led to a significant surge in cargo bookings from China to the US, which could cause port congestion and equipment shortages due to the inability to reposition empty containers back to China. This situation is expected to worsen in June as importers rush to move peak season cargo before the new tariff deadline of 14 August. Carriers have added capacity to trans-Pacific westbound sailings to both the West and East Coast of North America. With the tariff pause window closing soon, equipment has been prioritised for transpacific shipments, affecting other trades out of China.

Shanghai and Ningbo closed for 10-11 hours earlier this week due to fog, which has increased congestion at these ports. This week, the number of waiting vessels in the Shanghai-Ningbo anchorage increased to 146 from 136 last week. In Qingdao, 25 vessels are at anchor compared to 36 last week.

Malaysia

Port Klang: Due to berth congestion, the average vessel waiting time is around 1.89 days. Some vessels can wait up to 3 days. Yard congestion is around 85%, reducing productivity.

New Zealand

Auckland: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased to 3 days due to bad weather and operational issues. The container yard is 85% utilised. Further adverse weather is expected this week.

Tauranga: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. Operations during Week 23 were impacted by intermittent wind delays, resulting in a delay of one day. Conditions are forecast to improve next week, with the exception of Wednesday, when high winds are expected. Yard conditions remain stable, and productivity is good. The port is not allowing the early gate-in of exports.

Philippines

Manila: Due to congestion, the average 7-day vessel waiting time is around 2.04 days. At the time of publishing, 11 vessels were at anchor.

Singapore

Singapore: The average waiting time has increased this week due to vessel bunching. Transhipment cargo may see a 1- 2 week delay. At the time of publishing, 38 vessels were at anchor.

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. High yard congestion is impacting port operational efficiency, resulting in delays. At the time of publishing, 11 ships were waiting for a berth.

Europe

North Europe

Analysts predict that congestion in Northern Europe will persist at least until August, aligning with the end of the peak season, assuming no major disruptions occur. However, on the evening of June 4, workers at APM Terminals Maasvlakte II, Rotterdam began an indefinite strike. While wage negotiations are ongoing, it remains uncertain when an agreement will be reached. As a result, vessel and port operations have come to a standstill. Delays in vessel and container movements are expected at this terminal, with potential ripple effects impacting other terminals in Rotterdam and the surrounding region. Read more

Belgium

Antwerp: Ongoing congestion, vessel delays, and alliance restructuring continue to severely impact operations in Antwerp. Container opening windows have been shortened from 7 to 5 days before ETA, requiring temporary storage if gate-in dates are not adjusted. Extended container dwell times are adding pressure to yard productivity. Additionally, a crane refurbishment program is ongoing. Two cranes are expected to be out of service until the end of the year. Truck slots are limited and fully booked early each day. Read more

France

Le Havre: Carriers report berthing delays of 2 days. Yard occupancy is around 70% and manageable.

Germany

Bremerhaven:. Congestion and vessel schedule changes are challenging port operations and causing delays.

Hamburg: Yard congestion remains critical at all terminals, and delivery restrictions remain in place. Vessel berthing line-ups are full.

Due to recent disruptions in Hamburg-Waltershof, including a signal violation by a rail operator and severe loading delays at the HHLA Burchardkai terminal, rail operations have experienced significant delays.

These incidents led to multi-hour track closures, late train departures, and delayed export train availability. Combined with ongoing construction and rerouting challenges across the rail network, this has resulted in delayed container movements, missed departures, and, in some cases, complete train cancellations. As a result, container availability and timely departures, especially for stranded units, are currently limited. Read more

Netherlands

Rotterdam: Terminals remain highly congested. Ship delays, alliance transitions, strikes, and staffing shortages are disrupting the flow of containers. Additional constraints, such as terminal reconstruction, crane failures, and unplanned closures, are further reducing capacity. Late-arriving seagoing vessels are prioritised, which delays waterside and landside operations, especially for hinterland transport. Inland vessels face an average wait time of 56 hours. Compounding the issue, low Rhine water levels, caused by an extended dry period, are affecting inland navigation. A system outage over the weekend caused additional delays.

United Kingdom

A systems outage at the CNS and DP World terminals at London Gateway and Southampton significantly impacted operations this week. Kuehne+Nagel also reports rail disruptions delaying cargo at London Gateway and Felixstowe. Read more

Mediterranean/Black Sea

Greece

Due to congestion, waiting times in Piraeus and Thessaloniki are around 3 days.

Italy

The Italian rail network will undergo essential construction and maintenance work aimed at improving rail infrastructure. Several significant railway line interruptions will impact freight transportation across various routes until December 2025. Read more

Bari: The terminal is experiencing significant congestion due to disruptions in the vessel schedule, resulting in long queues of truck drivers attempting to collect and deliver units. It is estimated that normal operations will resume within approximately five working days. 

La Spezia: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days due to congestion.

Slovenia

Koper: Container terminal utilisation is at 93%. The cargo surge causes import and export dwell time of 5-6 days. Railway reconstruction until 3Q 2026 reduces train traffic, causing an increase in truck traffic.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

Bangladesh

Chittagong (Chattogram): Vessels continue to wait upwards of 4 days in Chittagong owing to heavy rain and flooding experienced over the last days. In addition, a labour shortage has slowed the movement of containers. The port will be closed from 20:00 on 6 June until 09:00 on 8 June for a public holiday. No operations will take place during this time.

North America

Canada 

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

• Halifax: 6 days
• Montreal: 12 days
• Prince Rupert: 9 days
• Saint John: 3 days
• Vancouver: 9 days

Mexico

Manzanillo: Port operations are facing significant delays. All gate-in and gate-out operations were put on hold all day until 20:00 hr yesterday. For import services, there are no available appointments until 8 June. For export services, availability is limited, and most appointments are missed due to congestion. The backlog continues affecting operations, producing periodic terminal shutdowns.

At Ferrovalle, bonded services are still on hold. As an alternative, clients have been requested to dispatch their cargo in Manzanillo until this situation improves. Kuehne+Nagel urges customers to fast-track the dispatch process with Customs due to the storage costs involved.

USA 

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

• Montreal: 8 days
• Prince Rupert: 17 days
• Vancouver: 15 days
• Charleston: 3 days
• Houston: 12 days
• Los Angeles: 10 days
• Long Beach: 9 days
• New York: 8 days
• Norfolk: 7 days
• Savannah: 4 days

Charleston: Carriers report waiting up to 3 days for a berth. At the time of publication, six vessels were at anchor.

Los Angeles/Long Beach

Carriers report waiting up to 3 days for a berth at both ports. Four vessels were at anchor at the time of publication. An increase in congestion is expected at these and other West Coast ports in July with the arrival of China's backlog of shipments.

New York/New Jersey: According to seaexplorer, eight ships are waiting for a berth outside New York. Carriers report waiting times of up to 2 days.

The landside situation at APM Terminals remains the same this week. APMT New York is experiencing high demand for gate appointments and may not be able to accommodate all requests, especially on vessel cut-off days. Customers are advised to deliver export cargo within the first few days after the terminal starts accepting freight for a specific vessel. This high demand, along with frequent changes to published vessel times and cut-offs, is leading to further delays and resulting in containers not being loaded.

Savannah: The port is challenged by vessel bunching, increasing the waiting time to almost 2 days. 

South and Central America

Argentina

Buenos Aires: Carriers report berthing delays of 2 days due to congestion. Three vessels were at anchor at the time of publishing.

Colombia

Buenaventura: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4 days.

Cartagena: Due to congestion at the port and at upstream ports, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.17 days. High volumes challenge operations, resulting in delays to transhipment cargo. The number of waiting vessels has increased to six this week.

Costa Rica

Caldera: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5 days. The port is currently congested, and the current infrastructure is not able to cope with the volume influx, leading to fluctuating levels of disruptions.

Moín: The APM container terminal in Moín is currently experiencing significant congestion, impacting logistics operations for customers shipping to and from this port. The terminal administration has implemented several mitigation measures to address the situation, but various external factors continue to pose challenges. Read more

Guatemala

Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla: The port is facing significant congestion and operational delays due to increased import and export volumes compounded by the ongoing reefer season. Additionally, the situation at the port has disrupted inland transportation. The entry of export equipment has been restricted due to limited capacity, and the retrieval of import containers has slowed considerably.

Honduras

Puerto Cortes: Carriers report waiting up to 7 days for a berth and departing the port with a week's delay. The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.33 days. The port is challenged by a doubling of volume due to seasonal commodity increases, a high number of red-selective inspections and limited customs personnel on-site. For imports, a 48-hour advance notice is required to manage and ensure container departure. Exports require a minimum of 2 weeks' advanced notice. Strikes in Choloma could cause traffic disruptions due to local protests, affecting access to and from the port.

Jamaica

Kingston: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.25 days. The port is severely affected by several vessels arriving at the same time. On-window vessels do not experience berthing delays, but off-window ships can wait up to 7 days. Due to high volumes, transhipment cargo is facing delays.

Nicaragua

Corinto: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 4.33 days. The yard density is high. Vessels can wait up to 10 days before operations begin at the port.

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.