Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)

Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)

Port closure at Genoa after the death of a port worker, severe weather interrupts port operations in England, and berth congestion in China continues

by Fiona Nagorsnik, 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 Middle East Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and South and Central America. 


Asia Pacific

Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)


Australia

Fremantle: The 7-day average waiting time is around 2.5 days. PTK is facing some slight congestion.


China

Ningbo: The average 7-day vessel waiting time is around 1.7 days due to berth congestion.


Qingdao: The 7-day waiting time is around 1.47 days due to berth congestion.


Shanghai: The average 7-day vessel waiting time is around 1.83 days. Heavy berth congestion remains among all terminals in the WGQ area with waiting times of up to 2 days. In YS1, heavy berth congestion continues with delays of around 3 days.


Malaysia

Pasir Gudang: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.67 days.


Port Klang: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1 day. Carriers report berth and yard congestion, which are causing delays. A high number of calls is expected this week which could increase delays.


New Zealand

Auckland: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days. Due to changing vessel schedules, there is volatility in the berthing lineup. The yard is congested and importers are urged to collect their containers as soon as possible. Rail services will be suspended between Hamilton and Auckland from 27 December to 27 January.


Papua New Guinea

Lae: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days.


Philippines

Manila: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days due to heavy berthing congestion and off-window vessel arrivals.


South Korea

Busan: Due to vessel bunching, the 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.33 days. Week 51 is expected to be dynamic and challenging due to the arrival of further delayed vessels.


Taiwan

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


Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)

Belgium

Antwerp: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.47 days. The adverse weather last week in Northern Europe has resulted in vessels arriving late in Antwerp, causing some delays.


Georgia

Poti: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.7 days.


Germany

Hamburg: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.08 days. Yard utilisation has stabilised at CTA and CTB. Dwell times have reduced to 5.9 days at CTA. This terminal has a restriction on export deliveries by train to 7 days prior to vessel ETA, but is currently accepting earlier deliveries. Truck delivery windows are 7-8 days prior to vessel ETA.


Italy

Genoa: The port is currently closed after an incident on 18 December which resulted in the death of one port worker. The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.67 days.


Netherlands

Rotterdam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.53 days. Delays to vessels at upstream ports have disrupted the planned berthing line, which is already fully utilised with little capacity for flexibility. Further delays can be expected.


Turkey

Mersin: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.14 days. Due to the recent system enhancement implemented on 1 December, the port is facing some productivity and congestion issues. The number of waiting vessels has increased over the last weeks, but the port has communicated some improvement to both the landside and waterside operations.


United Kingdom

High wind disrupted the operations in Grangemouth and Felixstowe on 18 December.


Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)

Algeria

Algiers: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.8 days, however, some vessels can wait up to 12 days.


Annaba: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5.33 days


Oran: The port is heavily congested, with waiting times of up to 4.33 days.


Cameroon

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


Djibouti

Djibouti: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 3.2 days.


Ghana

Tema: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.1 days


Ivory Coast

Abidjan: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.17 days.


Kenya

Mombasa: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.75 days. The berth delays increased to 5 - 6 days due to the bunching of vessels, yard congestion, and a shortage of staff.


Mauritius

Port Louis: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 1 day. The port is experiencing significant cargo delays because of infrastructure problems that are affecting productivity


Mozambique

Maputo: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 1.5 days, but some vessels can wait up to 2 days. Due to the political unrest, disruptions can occur on short notice.


Oman

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


Republic of the Congo

Pointe Noire: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.38 days due to towing issues related to operational and invoicing problems.


South Africa

Durban: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4 days. Vessel delays can be up to 12 days at Pier 1 and 24 days at Pier 2. Delays are due to crane and equipment breakdowns.


Tanzania

Dar Es Salaam: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5.4 days due to yard and gate congestion. The overall yard density is high due to yard capacity constraints and scanner breakdowns.


Gambia

Banjul: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 14 days. The port is experiencing severe congestion and works on a FIFO basis, with no berthing windows.


Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)

Canada

Average rail dwell times:

Halifax: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 3 days. The average rail dwell time for Canadian cargo is around 12 days.


Saint John: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.5 days


Vancouver: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 4.67 days. The average import rail dwell time for Canadian cargo is around 10 days. The average import rail dwell time for US cargo is 3 days.


Montreal: The average rail dwell time for Canadian cargo is around 12 days.


Port operational updates from around the world (13 - 19 December)

Brazil

Manaus: A severe drought affects the river's water levels, making ship navigation difficult. However, water levels have improved recently, and some ships could navigate the river again, albeit with lower capacity.


Navegantes: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.7 days; however, some vessels can wait up to 10 days.


Paranagua: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.13 days. Vessels arriving off-window can wait up to 5 days for a berth.


Rio De Janeiro: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 5.75 days due to channel limitations from adverse sea conditions. 


Santos: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3.51 days. Pier #1 is temporarily closed for crane commissioning. The terminal is maintaining vessels within operational windows to reduce port stay time, with a revised BW map emphasizing adherence to consignments. No extra calls or transhipment volumes will be accepted. By February 2025, BTP expects to have 10 STS cranes fully operational. From 20 November to 10 December, Santos Brasil will operate with only two piers.


El Salvador

Acajutla: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 6 days. However, some vessels can wait up to 14 days. Dock A-1 and A-2 are currently undergoing repairs and maintenance work, and a dock crane is out of service. Due to these constraints, vessels are significantly delayed before they begin operations. The container yard is slightly congested, and there is a slight labour shortage. Severe trucking shortages result in a truck availability of 3-4 days. The departure of containers from the port is subject to trucking slots availability. Carriers report a dry container shortage.


Guatemala

Puerto Quetzal: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is 3.75 days.


Honduras

Puerto Cortes: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.67 days.


Jamaica

Kingston: The average 7-day vessel waiting time is around 2.81 days.


Mexico

Manzanillo: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days.


Panama

Cristobal: The 7-day vessel waiting time is around 3 days.


Peru

Callao: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. There is a significant truck shortage due to better profitability at Chancay, which is expected to continue for the medium term. In addition, heavy port congestion is resulting in truckers waiting more than 8 hours to enter the port. Several carriers report a 20-ft container shortage.


Paita: Due to the increase in agricultural shipments, there is high reefer truck demand to those ports. This is expected to ease in Q1 2025. Several carriers report a 20ft container shortage. Market disruptions are currently affecting overall schedule reliability.


How Kuehne+Nagel calculate the average vessel waiting time

Mainline container vessels may spend a certain number of days waiting at designated anchorage areas before their scheduled port call. 

 

We calculate the average waiting time based on these days, 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 and 
  • vessels passing through the anchorage area without intending to call at the port 

 

 

Stay Ahead Stay Informed: Register for seaexplorer for the latest disruptions and vessel waiting times at global container ports. 

Source: Kuehne+Nagel, seaexplorer Analytics, CMA CGM, Linerlytica, Maersk, MSC