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

Several key ports are facing significant congestion, impacting vessel waiting times. In Algiers, the average waiting time for vessels is approximately 4.33 days. To alleviate this, the port authority is diverting vessels to Djen-Djen. However, this has also led to congestion at Djen-Djen, with waiting times reaching up to 14 days.

Annaba is experiencing an average vessel waiting time of around 4.5 days, while in Bejaia, the average waiting time is about 5 days, though some vessels may wait up to 14 days.

Oran also faces congestion, with an average waiting time of 6.5 days. Skikda has the longest average waiting time of around 7.5 days, compounded by ongoing maintenance work on the Marinelle quay, which is expected to be completed by mid-May.

South Africa

Carriers report an improved situation at all South African ports this week, except Cape Town. Windy conditions have resulted in delays of up to 11 days for some services at this port. Vessel productivity was also below par last week.

On the other hand, vessel productivity at Durban Pier 1 and Pier 2 was above the 2023 average last week, signifying recovery. Some delays to truck operations at these terminals have been reported.

The citrus export season has begun in South Africa. Reefer plug availability is high in Cape Town and Coega, and around 77% are utilised in Port Elizabeth.

Sudan

Port Sudan: Explosions and fires have been reported in Port Sudan, causing significant disruptions. The incidents have impacted port operations, leading to delays in cargo handling and vessel movements. Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosions, and emergency services are on-site to manage the situation. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed. Read more

Asia Oceania

China

Although no fog closures in China were reported this week, congestion remains high in Shanghai, Ningbo and Qingdao. The number of waiting vessels in the Shanghai-Ningbo anchorage has improved to 108, compared to 134 last week. Due to the high waiting time and congestion in Shanghai, cargo is being moved to Ningbo. Congestion is expected to increase in Ningbo in the coming weeks.

However, Qingdao's number of vessels at anchor and the average waiting time have not improved this week.

Carriers have reported no significant delays at other Chinese ports.

Japan

Ports in Japan reopened at 08:30 on 7 May after the Golden Week holidays. Vessel waiting times have increased to 2 days in Tokyo, and three ships are at anchor at the time of this publication.

Furthermore, labour unions have announced a 24-hour strike on Saturday, 11 May. The port will suspend all operations during this time.

New Zealand

Tauranga: Most vessels arrived and departed off-window last week, and the berthing lineup is full this week. The yard remains highly utilised; the port will not accept early export receivals at this time. The yard's recovery is expected to take two weeks. Furthermore, high winds are likely on Friday, 9 May, with gusts up to 40 knots, peaking around 15:00 and easing around 22:00. No high swells are expected. Port operations could be interrupted should winds compromise safety.

Phiippines

Manila: At the time of publication, 19 ships were at anchor. Due to congestion, the waiting time for off-window vessels ranges from 1.5 to 2 days.

Malaysia

Port Klang: Seaexplorer shows the number of waiting vessels has almost doubled this week compared to 9 vessels waiting last week. However, both yard utilisation (90%) and waiting times have remained stable.

Singapore

Singapore: The number of waiting vessels and the average waiting time have increased in Singapore this week. Some vessels can wait up to 3 days before entering the port. According to seaexplorer, 33 ships are waiting for a berth compared to last week's 28.

Europe

North Europe

Port congestion is significantly extending transit times for services due to a combination of factors affecting major ports in North Europe, such as Antwerp, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven. The congestion is primarily caused by delays in berthing, where vessels sometimes wait 7-10 days for a free berth. This situation was brought about by operational disruptions since the start of this year, including dense fog, labour strikes, and the implementation of new services within alliances. Additionally, high yard utilisation, reaching over 92%, further impacts productivity and causes delays.

Emergency measures, such as modifying berth priorities and reducing export delivery windows, are being implemented to ease congestion, but these actions also contribute to extended transit times of 10-14 days. Consequently, transit times from North Europe to destinations like the Arab Gulf have increased from the usual 40-45 days to 55-70 days, and in some cases up to 90 days.

Belgium

Antwerp: Last week's nationwide strike significantly disrupted vessel traffic for all Antwerp terminals, with the port entrance closed for approximately 36 hours. While dockers continued their regular work at the terminals, only pilots and traffic centre personnel participated in the strike.

The Quay 913 is currently experiencing critical congestion, operating at 90% capacity, with reefers at 70%. Although the recent strike had a limited impact on 913, as vessels alongside were worked and sailed after the strike concluded, congestion and extended waiting times continue to persist at this quay.

Similarly, Quay 869 increased to 91% utilisation, with reefers at 67%. Vessels calling at this terminal experienced more significant delays. Lastly, Quay 1700 is also heavily congested and facing significant challenges.

Trucking slots are limited and completely booked early in the day in Antwerp. The container cargo opening has been reduced from 7 to 5 days before ETA, resulting in the need for intermediate storage of containers.

The average waiting time for barges is 103 hours.

The situation in Antwerp remains heavily disrupted due to high congestion, delayed vessels, and the reshuffling of alliances.

Germany

The current situation in German ports remains challenging due to continued ship delays and delivery restrictions, which complicate transport planning. While Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven are operating relatively well, Hamburg terminals are experiencing challenges. In particular, due to MSC's move to CTB and ongoing automation work, waiting times and slot utilisation are high. Although Eurogate has seen some relief since MSC's switch to CTB, waiting times persist.

Netherlands

Rotterdam:

• Delta II: A labour shortage is causing significant operational bottlenecks at this terminal. Custom scans, inter-terminal transfers, and transhipments are limited. Furthermore, the terminal is limiting the number of moves on vessels due to the lack of staff. Feeder and barge calls were also restricted last week.

• APM Terminals Maasvlakte II: The terminal will be closed for maintenance from 7 May, 19:00 to 8 May, 03:00. Despite the high yard congestion, the terminal is operating well.

• RWG: Yard and berth utilisation remains high at this terminal, which is leading to delays.

United Kingdom

London Gateway Port: The yard utilisation at Gateway has increased to 83%, with reefers at 72% and a high empty stock of 6,169 TEU. The port berth lineup is severely congested, and plans are being implemented to reduce congestion and increase productivity. Additional labour from Southampton remains in place, and empty parks are open with block stacking in place. Extra yard space is allocated for rail feed stacks, and rail failures are reducing but not eradicated.

Meditteraean

Greece

Piraeus: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.78 days due to congestion. There were four vessels waiting at anchor at the time of publication.

Thessaloniki: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.5 days.

Italy

Heavy congestion at the port of Trieste results in partial discharge operations, and containers are then discharged in Alexandria for further transfer. These containers can be delayed for up to two weeks.

The Italian Railway enterprises have announced a national strike of the rail transportation sector from 5 May 21:00 until 6 May 21:00. Read more

Slovenia

Koper: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.8 days due to congestion. Due to current closures and capacity limitations, rail availability is changing daily. This is resulting in a delay in rail cargo transport.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

Bangladesh

Chittagong (Chattogram): Berthing congestion has eased slightly since last week, averaging 3 days for geared vessels and 5 days for gearless vessels. Ships stay on average 2-3 days at a berth. Yard congestion is around 70% and not yet at a favourable level. Insufficient logistical support and crane breakdowns are lowering productivity significantly. Due to a train shortage, dwell time for Dhaka ICD-bound imports is 7- 10 days for a 20ft and 2-3 days for a 40ft.

India - Pakistan

India announced a ban on importing goods from or transiting through Pakistan and a prohibition on Pakistani-flagged ships entering Indian ports.

These include Pakistani goods entering India via third countries. Additionally, Indian-flagged ships are barred from docking at Pakistani ports. Pakistan responded with equal measures against Indian ships.

Some carriers could make adjustments to their rotations/services to accommodate these bans. Read more

Sri Lanka

Colombo: The port is severely challenged by vessel bunching and congestion.

North America

Canada

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

• Halifax: 4 days
• Montreal: 11 days
• Prince Rupert: 9 days
• Saint John: 5 days
• Vancouver: 10 days

Mexico

Altamira: Cargo faces rail delays due to a lack of platforms. The average delay for rail imports is 48 hours, and for rail exports, it is 72 hours. Truck assignments require 48 hours.

Guaymas: Operations at the port are stable. Due to trucking shortages, bookings for imports and exports must be made 48 hours in advance.

Lazaro Cardenas: Rail delays are occurring due to a high export volume. The average delay for rail imports is 168 hours, and for exports, it is 72 hours. Truck assignments also require 72 hours.

Manzanillo: There are currently rail delays due to a high export volume. The average delay for rail imports and exports is 72 hours. Truck assignments require 48 hours for exports and 48-72 hours for imports.

Progreso: Operations are stable at the port. Due to trucking shortages, bookings for imports and exports must be made 48 hours in advance.

Veracruz: There are currently rail delays due to a high export volume. The average delay for rail imports is 48 hours, and for rail exports, it is 72 hours. Truck assignments require 96 hours for exports and 96-120 hours for imports.

United States

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

• Montreal: 9 days
• Vancouver: 14 days
• Charleston: 4 days
• Houston: 12 days
• Los Angeles: 11 days
• Long Beach: 9 days
• New York: 8 days
• Norfolk: 7 days
• Savannah: 4 days

South and Central America

Guatemala

The road blockages in Santo Tomás, Guatemala, have been cleared, and cargo movement has resumed. However, due to traffic buildup during the closure, delays may still occur as congestion at the border is gradually resolved. The port faces 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: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days. There are delays due to congestion, severe weather conditions, and labour shortages.

Jamaica

Kingston: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.24 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.

Nicaragua

Corinto: 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. 

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