Supply chain disruptions and port congestion are here to stay. Find out what to expect in Kuehne+Nagel's weekly port operational update.
Congo
Pointe Noire: The average vessel waiting time has improved slightly from 5 days to 4 days this week. Vessels are berthing on a FIFO basis since fixed berthing windows are indefinitely suspended. Reefer yard occupancy remains high.
Cameroon
Douala: Vessel waiting time has improved by more than a day to 5.78 days. The import yard is at full capacity.
Saudi Arabia
Dammam: As shown in the table above, the 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased further this week. High yard utilisation is causing berthing delays and growing vessel waiting times.
South Africa
Cape Town: Waiting times have increased again this week to 7 days due to low productivity and congestion.
Durban: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has improved to around 4 days. Some carriers report vessels could wait up to 33 days for a berth. The port continues to have challenges with equipment and wind. According to seaexplorer, nine vessels are currently at anchor.
Port Elizabeth: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has improved to 1 day. There is currently one vessel at anchor.
Tanzania
Dar es Salaam: At 16 days, the 7-day average vessel waiting time witnessed no change this week. The government has issued a directive on priority berthing affecting the vessel line. Yard congestion, vessel bunching and power outages are impacting productivity.
UAE
Jebel Ali: Feeder vessels face increased waiting times due to additional vessel calls and weather delays.
Australia
Brisbane: Electrical Trades Union workers at DP World Brisbane began strikes on 20 February. The strike primarily affects the service and maintenance of semi-automated equipment, usually carried out by the electrical staff. Consequently, equipment breakdowns are not being repaired, causing a limited number of workable cranes. This has heavily impacted the turnaround times of trucks inside the ports.
China
Dense fog impacted port operations again this week, closing terminals in Ningbo, Shanghai and Qingdao for more than 12 hours. Other Chinese ports were closed due to strong winds.
Singapore
According to seaexplorer's map of waiting vessels, the lineup in Singapore and the Tanjung Pelepas area is around 23 vessels this week. Due to yard and vessel congestion, the 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased in Singapore to almost 3 days. Vessels calling Tanjung Pelepas wait around 1 day for a berth.
Sri Lanka
Colombo: The container terminal is heavily congested due to Red Sea diversions. Sixteen vessels are currently at anchor in Colombo. The average vessel waiting time has increased to 1.89 days.
France
Le Havre: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased again this week to 3 days. Since strikes for this week are cancelled and just two vessels arrived at anchor recently, improvements in waiting time can be expected.
Germany
Bremerhaven: Parts of the A27, the only main highway leading to Bremerhaven, will be completely closed in both directions for at least four weeks. Alternate routes are available but require additional time. Delays are expected.
Poland
Following previous protests at the Poland-Ukraine border, Polish farmers blocked border crossings between Poland and Germany this week. The campaign impacting cross-country transport between Poland and Ukraine will likely continue through 10 March.
Gdansk: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased to around 3 days in Gdansk. The port is experiencing delays due to winter weather and yard congestion.
United Kingdom
Felixstowe: The port forecasts high-speed winds on Friday, 1 March, from 08:00 through to 11:59 local time. Container yards are expected to be closed, and booking availability will be suspended during this time period. Operations at the port will be adapted based on the weather conditions.
Canada
Vancouver: Due to congestion, in particular at Deltaport, and the shortage of rail cars, vessel waiting time is elevated in Vancouver. Four vessels are waiting at anchor.
USA
Kuehne+Nagel reports chassis shortages are improving in several regions in the US, including Northeast, Southeast, West Coast (Seattle and Tacoma) and Central regions.
Oakland: Berth congestion is causing delays to vessels this week. There are currently eight vessels waiting in the port area.
Brazil
Navegantes: Due to civil works on port infrastructure, arrival windows are suspended, creating a waiting line for a berth. Construction will be carried out in two phases, with only one side of the pier operational. Completion is expected in the second half of 2025. The port upgrade would improve infrastructure at the port, including allowing larger vessels to berth.
Santos: Vessels arriving out of their berthing windows, manoeuvre restrictions and repair works contribute to overall delays. There are currently 10 vessels at anchor.
Costa Rica:
Landslides closed a main access road to Puerto Moin and Limon ports last week. Route 32 has since opened, and trucking is expected to return to normal in the next few days. The 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased to 3 days in Caldera.
El Salvador
Acajutla: The 7-day vessel waiting time has increased to 2 days due to congestion. A trucking shortage is delaying the movement of containers.
Panama
Panama Canal: Due to low water levels, canal transits are limited to 24 per day. No further adjustment is expected in the next months. Container ships with a booked slot transit on arrival. Those without a booking could wait 4-8 days.
Uruguay
Montevideo: Due to a labour union strike, the port closed on 27 February, 7 am for the day. The vessel lineup is currently at three.
Find more up-to-date vessel waiting times and disruptions on seaexplorer.
