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

Morocco

Tanger Med: Some vessels can wait up to 3 days for a berth. The yard is congested due to late-arriving vessels.

South Africa

Cape Town: High swells have delayed vessel berthing in Cape Town. The swells are expected to last until 27 June. Due to the delay, some carriers may opt to skip the port.

Durban: In Durban, 4 vessels were at anchor at the time of publishing.

Asia Oceania

Australia

Fremantle: Terminals are congested, with limited space, causing vessel delays. Dredging work has been going on for several months, causing disruption, and will continue for another couple of months.

China

The northern Chinese were closed for 4-17 hours last week due to fog. Port congestion is raising vessel waiting times in Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Xiamen, and Shekou.

According to seaexplorer, the number of waiting vessels has increased this week to 150 in the Shanghai-Ningbo area. At Qingdao anchorage, 40 ships are waiting for a berth, up from 35 last week.

Malaysia

Port Klang: According to carriers, vessel waiting times can be up to 2-3 days due to vessel bunching and congestion. Yard density remains high at around 95%. According to seaexplorer, 11 vessels were at anchor at the time of publishing.

New Zealand

A low-pressure system is expected to cross the country from Friday afternoon, June 27, 2025. From Thursday, June 26, until Friday evening, June 27, high winds, swells, and heavy rain will occur. Vessel pilotage and vessel operations in Auckland and Tauranga may not be possible under these adverse conditions.

Thailand

On 23 June 2025, the Thai military announced the indefinite closure of all permanent and temporary border checkpoints with Cambodia due to rising tensions along the border. This closure affects both tourists and cargo transport, suspending all cross-border vehicle movement and trade activities. Cambodia-bound ocean shipments via Thailand may face delays Read more

Laem Chabang: Congestion at terminals A0 and B1 has improved over the last week. Truck waiting times have reduced to 3 hours and are expected to remain stable. However, fluctuations may occur from day to day. Turnaround time between Laem Chabang and Lat Krabang area has improved to an average of 3-5 days, and is expected to remain stable. The port is allowing early export gate-ins on application.

Singapore

Singapore: Berthing delays can range from 1 to 1.5 days, with some vessels waiting longer due to vessel bunching, off-schedule arrivals and delays at previous ports. Transhipment cargo dwell times can reach up to two weeks in some cases, dependent on vessel schedules and vessel space availability.

Europe

Belgium

According to World Cargo News, the pilot strikes held on 25 June delayed 50 vessels in Antwerp. The strike action ended on the morning of 26 June. The port expects the backlog to take two days to clear.

Antwerp:

• PSAQ869: Yard utilisation remains high, and the berthing lineup remains full. Yard capacity is limited due to the Emerald Project. Barge delays are between 96 and 120 hours.

• PSA Q913: According to carriers, the average waiting time is 3-4 days. Barge delays are between 96 and 120 hours.

• MPET: The berthing lineup is full, and yard density is high. Due to congestion, pickup and delivery are facing delays.

Germany

Rail closures

Due to construction works, rail access to Hamburg Waltershof station will be completely closed from 4-8 July. During this time, the Hamburg terminals CTA, CTB, and Eurogate will not be accessible by rail.

Service providers anticipate significant and long-term congestion due to the closure. Accumulated volumes at these terminals are expected both before and after the closure. Additionally, severe delays in the transport chain to and from the Port of Hamburg are anticipated throughout the rest of July, including loading delays, missed slots, and cancellations. To manage the congestion, the port may enforce strict restrictions on export deliveries.

Furthermore, the closure is likely to increase congestion at inland terminals and depots.

Service providers announced the following planned train departures from Hamburg before and after the closure:

• Import: Last departure will be on 3 July (arrival inland 4 July). Service resumes on 8 July (arrival 9 July).
• Export: Last departure will be on 2 July (arrival in Hamburg 3 July). Service resumes on 7 July (arrival 8 July).

Summer truck restrictions

Driving bans will be in effect during the upcoming summer holidays. In addition to the existing ban on Sundays and public holidays between 00:00 and 22:00, Germany will impose a ban on trucks over 7.5 tons on certain motorways and federal roads on Saturdays between 07:00 and 20:00 from 1 July to 31 August 2025.

Hamburg:

• CTA: The berthing lineup is fully utilised, resulting in waiting times for some vessels. The yard is around 90% capacity, and voluntary labour shortages are expected when the weather is favourable. Export gate-in restrictions are still in place.

• CTB: The berthing lineup is full and is impacted by late arrivals. Yard utilisation is around 75%. There is a slight labour shortage. Export gate-in restrictions remain in place. Two berths are closed for construction this week, which could impact the berthing lineup.

• CTT: The berthing lineup is full, and off-window vessels face waiting times. Yard density is high, and labour is slightly lower than normal. Export gate-ins are based on a specific vessel's ETA.

Bremerhaven

• NTB: Operations are stable despite high yard utilisation. Significant capacity reductions are expected during the summer holidays. The terminal is reviewing a long-term contingency plan to maintain operational stability.

Netherlands

Rotterdam

• ECT: The berthing lineup and yard is highly utilised. Labour levels are slightly lower than normal. Feeder delays are around 48 hours, and barge delays are 72-96 hours. Trucking congestion occurs at peak hours.

• DELTA II: Lack of labour is affecting operations, inter-terminal transfers and barge and feeder operations. Barge delays are between 24-36 hours.

• RWG: Berthing lineup is full, and vessels continue to arrive outside berthing windows. Yard occupancy is high, and imports should be collected as soon as possible.

Italy

Bari: The terminal is currently facing substantial congestion caused by disruptions in vessel schedules. This has led to extended queues of truck drivers waiting to collect and deliver containers.

Genoa: Some vessels' berth waiting times can be up to 3 days. Due to congestion, carriers may opt to omit the port. Yard density is around 85%, and there is a labour shortage.

Trieste: Congestion at the port of Trieste results in partial discharge operations and queues at the terminal gate for both container pickups and returns.

Spain

Algeciras: Carriers report that the average berth waiting time for import vessels is around 2 days. Vessels that are loading more than discharging will be prioritised to maintain fluidity and prevent congestion. Yard occupancy is around 85%. There are no trucking or labour issues.

Turkey

Mersin: Vessels arriving on time face no delays. Feeder vessels face a delay of 3 days. Export gate-in is allowed 6 days before the vessel berths.

Rhine

Due to high temperatures and low rainfall, water levels have dropped in the Rhine, specifically at the Kaub measuring point. This will further limit barge capacity. Barge operators report waiting times of 36 to 120 hours in Rotterdam and Antwerp.

United Kingdom

London Gateway: The port's productivity has deteriorated after the power outages that occurred this morning. The port is also facing challenges in unloading train cargo. Only 50% of module cranes were reported operational at the time of writing this report. The terminal is still restricting carriers to proforma moves. The berthing lineup is full, and late vessels face waiting times for a berth. A power supply issue has caused disruptions at the port today.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

In light of the recent conflict in the Middle East and the recently announced ceasefire, ports in the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia are operating normally and without disruptions. The Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz are open, and vessel transits are normal.

Bangladesh

Chittagong (Chattogram): The port is currently congested with a yard occupancy of around 79%. Due to the extended holidays, the yard is facing severe space constraints, especially for imports, slowing vessel operations at CCT and NCT. Discharge ops are time-consuming, limiting export loads, worsened by CPA equipment issues.

Due to a rail shortage, dwell time for Dhaka ICD-bound imports is 7-10 days for 20 ft and 2-3 days for 40 ft.

Israel

Ashdod: The restrictions on Dangerous Goods reported in last week's port update have been lifted in Ashdod. The port will now allow the import and export of all dangerous goods. Operations are continuing normally at the port.

Haifa: The restrictions on Dangerous Goods have been lifted, and operations continue normally at the port. On 20 June, Maersk announced that its vessels would temporarily stop calls at Haifa and that it had stopped cargo acceptance for the port. The carrier has now reopened import acceptance to Haifa. Export acceptance is not yet reopened.

Hapag-Lloyd has reduced services to Haifa; however, ZIM continues to call the port as usual. Read more

Sri Lanka

Colombo: Waiting time increased slightly this week due to congestion. However, the number of waiting vessels has dropped from 15 last week to four this week.

North America

Canada

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

• Halifax: 5 days
• Montreal:8 days
• Prince Rupert: 7 days
• Saint John: 5 days
• Vancouver: 9 days

Mexico

Altamira: Dwell times for imports are 7 days and 13 days for exports.

Manzanillo: The port faces severe congestion with yard utilisation at 91%. Adverse weather and high depot occupancy have been disrupting operations, vessel line-ups, and berthing schedules. Weekend gate-out activity improved slightly, but weekday flow remains erratic. Stakeholders should prepare for delays and monitor developments closely. Four vessels were at anchor at the time of publishing.

Veracruz: Some 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. The import rail dwell time is 48 hours, and 72 hours for export. For trucking assignments, exports require 96 hours, and imports require 72 hours. Yard occupancy is around 70%.

Lazaro Cardenas: Weather closers, on account of Hurricane Erik, and congestion in Manzanillo have affected the vessel lineup in Lazaro Cardenas. The yard is at 78% utilisation.

USA

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

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

South and Central America

Argentina/Chile

The border crossing between Argentina and Chile is being closed intermittently due to winter weather. Customers should anticipate potential delays in cross-border transport during this period.

Colombia

Cartagena: The situation at the port remains unchanged. Operational challenges resulting from congestion in Cartagena and at upstream ports and high volumes. Some transhipment cargo can be delayed by 10-15 days, depending on the service.

Costa Rica

Caldera: The port is currently congested, and the current infrastructure is not able to cope with the volume influx, leading to fluctuating levels of disruptions.

El Salvador

Acajutla: The 7-day average vessel time is around 6 days, and can be up to 14 days. Docks A-1 and A-2 are presently undergoing essential maintenance. Due to these constraints, the dock crane is currently out of service.

Consequently, 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.

Jamaica

Kingston: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2 days. On-window vessels berth on arrival, but off-window ships can wait up to 7 days. Due to high volumes, some transhipment cargo is facing delays of up to 15 days.

Panama

Some transhipment cargo can be delayed up to 20 days in Manzanillo and Rodman.

Peru

Callao: Severe congestion on key access roads to APM and DPW terminals, worsened by recent road closures near the Port of Callao, has reduced cargo throughput by around 50–65%, significantly impacting import and export operations. Truck entry delays can be up to 12 hours.

APM Terminals is experiencing the most disruption due to ongoing modernisation works under Phase 3A of the North Terminal, which are further adding to delays.

How Kuehne+Nagel calculates the 7-day average vessel waiting time (H3)

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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