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

Algiers: Due to congestion, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5.75 days. To improve congestion, the port authority is diverting vessels to Djen-Djen.

Djen-Djen: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 10 days. The port is experiencing congestion with cargo re-routed from Algiers.

Skikda: Due to heavy congestion, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 10 days.

Cameroon

Douala: The vessel waiting time has increased to a week in Cameroon. At the time of publication, three vessels were at anchor.

Morocco

Tanger Med: Due to congestion, carriers report waiting times of up to 4 days.

South Africa

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, nine new rubber gantry cranes will be in commission ahead of schedule, improving port productivity.

Durban: Waiting times have increased in Durban this week. The number of waiting vessels has increased to three.

Asia Oceania

•  China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong are bracing for Typhoon Wutip, which is forecast to strike southern China between 13 and 14 June. Read more

China

Waiting times at anchor in Shanghai-Ningbo remain relatively stable. The number of waiting vessels has increased further this week to 153, compared to last week's 146. Similarly, in Qingdao, waiting time has risen slightly, and the number of waiting vessels has increased to 29.

Malaysia

Port Klang: The average vessel waiting time has improved to below 1.5 days this week. Some vessels can wait up to 3 days. Yard congestion is around 85%, reducing productivity.At the time of publishing, 25 ships were at anchor.

Philippines

Manila: Due to congestion, the average 7-day vessel waiting time is around 1.66 days. At the time of publishing, 19 vessels were at anchor in Manila.

Singapore

Singapore: Due to congestion and vessel bunching, the average vessel waiting time has increased this week. Transhipment cargo is delayed by 1-2 weeks. At Singapore-Tanjung Pelepas anchorage, 37 vessels were at anchor at the time of publishing.

Thailand

Laem Chabang: For export shipments, there is currently a shortage of containers at the Lat Krabang Inland Container Depot, primarily due to a lack of available truck drivers to transport empty containers from Laem Chabang Port to Lat Krabang. For import shipments, delays are being experienced in the transfer of containers from Laem Chabang Port to Lat Krabang ICD, resulting in extended lead times.

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City: Congestion is showing some signs of improvement in Ho Chi Minh City. The 7-day average vessel waiting time has improved to 1.6 days And the number of waiting has reduced to five from last week's 11.

Europe

Belgium

A new national day of action will be held in Belgium on Wednesday, 25 June. The strike will also cover shifts beginning on the evening of 26 June or conclude during the night of 25 to 26 June. Read more

Antwerp:

Terminal operations remain under pressure, with yard utilisation at critical levels and reefer capacity fully stretched in some areas. Space constraints persist due to the ongoing expansion and renovations, occasionally delaying container loading.

The barge terminal at Q667 continues to operate smoothly. PSA faces ongoing challenges at Q913, with an average waiting time of three days. Crane refurbishment is still underway, with two cranes expected to remain offline through year-end. Additionally, a national strike planned for Wednesday, June 25, is likely to cause significant disruption, though specific impacts are not yet confirmed.

France

Le Havre: Carriers report berthing delays of 6 days.

Germany

Bremerhaven: Yard utilisation remains elevated above 80%, placing ongoing pressure on terminal productivity. 

Hamburg:

Due to construction works, rail access to Hamburg Waltershof station will be completely closed from 4-8 July. This will prevent operations at the Hamburg Altenwerder, Burchardkai, and Eurogate terminals and cancel all train services during this period. Accumulated volumes at these terminals post-closure may lead to extended handling times.

• CTA: Yard utilisation remains stable at around 76%, with reefers at 65%, though IMO 3 tanks are fully utilised. This week’s line-up is at full capacity, posing challenges.

• CTB: Congestion remains at critical levels, with late-arriving vessels. Internal events at CTB are scheduled for Thursday, 12 June and Thursday, 19 June 2025, which may lead to temporary processing restrictions. On 12 June, minor delays are expected at the start of each shift (06:50, 14:50, and 22:50). On 19 June, more significant impacts are anticipated during two time blocks: 10:00–15:30 and 18:00–23:30, with the last truck entry permitted at 10:00 and 18:00, respectively. Delays should be factored into transport planning.

• CTH: The terminal remains highly utilised at 88%, though yard operations are under control. Due to a staff assembly at EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg, truck processing may be delayed on Thursday, 19 June 2025, between 13:30 and 18:30. Delays should be factored into transport planning.

• EuroKombi: The EuroKombi Terminal (EKOM) reports a 6-hour delay in railway processing. In addition, a crane is undergoing repair work today, June 12.

Wilhelmshaven: Operations at the terminal remain stable, with yard utilisation at approximately 62%. Phase-in/out activity continues to add pressure to the lineup. Ad hoc calls, particularly for empty discharges, remain challenging due to limited flexibility.

Netherlands

Rotterdam:

• RWG: Yard density remains high due to strong volumes, with the berth line-up fully occupied. Labour availability is sufficient.

• MVII: Yard levels remain elevated due to strong demand and reduced capacity from storm-related measures. Ongoing slowdown actions linked to unresolved CLA negotiations are impacting productivity by approximately 50% during certain hours, causing delays to vessel operations and resulting in the cancellation of ad hoc calls. Labour shortages continue to create operational bottlenecks.

• ECT: Barge and feeder windows remain limited, complicating inter-terminal transfers and requiring careful coordination with deep-sea operations. No improvement in the ongoing challenges is expected in the short term, and further disruptions are anticipated.

Sweden

A new series of industrial actions has been announced across several ports in Sweden. The Swedish Dockworkers’ Union issued strike and blockade notices covering the period from 19 to 26 June. Read more

United Kingdom

London Gateway Port: Yard utilisation has risen to 73%, with reefer capacity decreasing to 50% and a high empty stock level. A planned IT outage followed by an unplanned disruption over the weekend temporarily impacted operations, though systems have since been restored and normal activity resumed. As a result, some delays in the berth line-up are expected this week. Additionally, minor incidents briefly interrupted operations. To strengthen Berth 6 operations, four straddle carriers were transferred from Southampton to London Gateway.

Southampton: Terminal utilisation stands at 79%, with reefer capacity at 75%. Berth SCT5 will be closed for three days for crane maintenance, temporarily reducing operations to four berths. While minor vessel delays are possible, no major operational concerns are expected.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

Bangladesh

Chittagong (Chattogram): The port is heavily congested. Port and vessel operations are limited due to flooding and heavy rainfall.

Sri Lanka

Colombo: Waiting time has improved slightly this week; however, there has been no improvement in the vessel queue outside the port. Colombo continues to be challenged by vessel bunching and congestion. The average delay of transhipment cargo in Colombo is 1-2 weeks.

North America

Canada

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

• Halifax: 6 days
• Montreal: 10 days
• Prince Rupert: 7 days
• Saint John: 3 days
• Vancouver: 9 days

Mexico

Altamira: There are currently rail delays due to a lack of platforms. Import rail assignments require 48 hours, while exports require 72 hours. Truck assignments require 48 hours.

Manzanillo: Port operations are facing significant delays. Export truck assignment times require 48 hours, and imports require 48-72 hours. Due to high export volumes, there are currently rail delays. The average delay for rail imports and exports is 72 hours.

Veracruz: Carriers report berthing delays of up to 4 days. Due to berth congestion and one pier being out of service, ICAVE Veracruz is working on a FIFO basis. There are currently rail delays due to a high export volume.

USA

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

• Montreal:9 days
• Prince Rupert:15 days
• Vancouver:14 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: Improvements in waiting times and the number of waiting vessels could indicate recovery. At the time of publishing, two vessels were at anchor compared to six last week.

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, six ships are waiting for a berth outside New York. Carriers report waiting times of up to 2 days.

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.

South and Central America

Argentina/Chile

As winter approaches, the border crossing between Argentina and Chile has begun experiencing seasonal closures. As of yesterday afternoon, it was closed and is expected to remain closed until Sunday, 15 June. Customers should anticipate potential delays in cross-border transport during this period.

Brazil

Manaus: Similar to previous years, Maersk anticipates navigability restrictions in the Amazon region during the dry season from September 2025 to early 2026. To mitigate impacts, Maersk will resume the floating pier operation in Itacoatiara when necessary and collaborate with authorities to address silting at the Madeira River's mouth. Customers are recommended to schedule cargo transport to or from Manaus in advance during this period.

Colombia

Cartagena: Due to congestion at the port and at upstream ports, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.11 days. High volumes challenge operations, resulting in delays to transhipment cargo. There are currently four vessels at anchor this week.

Costa Rica

Caldera: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 6 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.

Puerto Moin: The APM Terminal Moín is currently experiencing significant congestion, which is causing operational challenges such as difficulties in scheduling and coordinating shipments and delays in the movement of import and export containers. Customers may experience longer transit times and delays in receiving their shipments. The terminal has implemented several mitigation measures, but various external factors continue to pose challenges.

El Salvador

Acajutla: The 7-day average vessel time is around 3.5 days. Vessels encounter substantial delays before commencing their operations. The yard is heavily congested, and there is a slight labour shortage, leading to longer turnaround times. There is a lack of trucker availability due to congestion and a trucker shortage. The departure of containers from the port is subject to trucking slot availability.

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 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.

Panama

Balboa: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. Yard utilisation is around 80%.

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.

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