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

Congestion at Algerian ports remains high, with waiting times exceeding 7 days in Algiers and Skikda. In Bejaia and Djen-Djen, vessels wait between 5 and 6 days for a berth. In Oran, vessel waiting times remain stable at around 3 days.

Ghana

Tema: Carriers have reported that the bunching of off-window vessels has caused an increase in berthing delays of up to 3 days.

Kenya

Mombasa: Vessel waiting time has improved to below 5 days this week. Adverse weather conditions in weeks 20 and 21 resulted in delays and stoppages, increasing congestion. Recovery is expected to take up to two weeks. Seaexplorer showed six vessels at anchor at the time of publishing.

Morocco

Casablanca: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.42 days due to congestion related to bad weather in February and March and recent strikes. A surplus of empty containers is slowing down terminal operations. As a solution, the terminal is prioritising extra loaders to transport these empties and thus streamline terminal operations.

Tanger Med: Carriers report waiting times of up to 4 days due to congestion.

South Africa

• South African port operator Transnet and labour union UNTU have agreed to consider the settlement wage proposal presented by the CCMA. Both parties are expected to respond by 10 June 2025.

• Congestion-related delays in Europe and other regions are affecting vessel schedules calling South African and other African trades.

Cape Town: Vessel waiting times vary per service in Cape Town. CTCT was windbound for 10 hours this week, delaying operations.

Durban: Vessels are berthing on arrival at Piers 1 and 2, and there are no trucking issues. At the Point terminal, berth waiting times can be up to 2 days and truck movements are delayed due to congestion. Slot bookings are also a challenge. Several cranes were out under maintenance in week 21 and should be operational by the end of May. Container Corridor rail units have a dwell time of about 4 days, while over-border rail units have a dwell time of 99 days. In Durban, four vessels were anchored at the time of publication.

Port Elizabeth: This week, NCT was windbound for four hours, while PECT was windbound for five hours. Union meetings took place at NCT on 27 May, which slowed down operations.

Tanzania

Dar es Salaam: Berthing waiting times have increased this week, and four vessels were waiting for a berth at the time of publication. Service providers report road and gate congestion, resulting in extended container movement delays.

Asia Oceania

China

The sudden pause of US-China tariffs has led to a significant surge in cargo bookings from China to the US, which could cause port congestion and equipment shortages due to the inability to reposition empty containers back to China. This situation is expected to worsen in June as importers rush to move peak season cargo before the new tariff deadline of 14 August. When demand fell, carriers moved transpacific vessels to other trades and announced blank sailings for May. The repositioning of these vessels will take time, leading to a sudden shortage of vessel capacity.

The average vessel waiting times remain elevated in Ningbo, Shanghai, and Qingdao. This week, the number of waiting vessels in the Shanghai-Ningbo anchorage increased to 136 from 128 last week. In Qingdao, 32 vessels are at anchor compared to 46 last week. Last week, fog caused interruptions in port operations, delaying Ningbo by 22 hours and Dalian by 7 hours.

Malaysia

Port Klang: Due to berth congestion, some vessels can wait up to 3 days. Yard congestion is around 90%, reducing productivity.

New Zealand

Tauranga: Yard occupancy has improved along with vessel productivity. Nevertheless, the port is not allowing the early gate-in of exports. High winds suspended vessel operations and movements from 11:00 on 28 May. However, the overall impact on berth operations is likely to be greater, with some vessels now completing cargo operations between tidal windows. The forecast suggests a high likelihood of further disruption over the next 48 to 60 hours.

Singapore

Singapore: The port is experiencing vessel bunching. Transhipment cargo may see a 1- 2 week delay.

Europe

Belgium

Antwerp: Last week's nationwide strike heavily disrupted shipping at all Antwerp terminals. Truck slots are limited and fully booked early each day. Container opening windows have been shortened from 7 to 5 days before ETA, requiring temporary storage if gate-in dates are not adjusted. Barges face an average waiting time of 126 hours. Ongoing congestion, vessel delays, and alliance restructuring continue to severely impact operations in Antwerp.

Germany

• Significant rail disruptions are expected in July due to extensive construction work, affecting several freight transport routes and access to key ports. Read more

Hamburg: High winds in week 21 delayed vessel movements. Yard congestion remains critical at all terminals, and delivery restrictions remain in place. Due to this, vessels are being diverted from CTA to other terminals. A public holiday on 29 May resulted in no gate movements and increased yard congestion. Rail delays at CTB are currently 10 hours and 7 hours at CTA.

Bremerhaven: Congestion and vessel schedule changes are challenging port operations and causing delays. Since 26 May, there have been severe handling delays in Bremerhaven. In some cases, the entrance has been closed to trucks, and only limited slots can be booked. As a result, pickups and deliveries may be delayed or missed, with a risk of containers not being collected or delivered in time for vessel cut-offs.

Greece

Waiting times in Piraeus and Thessaloniki have increased to around 2.8 days this week. According to seaexplorer, nine vessels were at anchor in Piraeus and four at Thessaloniki at the time of publishing.

Italy

• Several rail closures are planned in Italy from May to September. Read more
• An explosion has closed the rail line between Florence and Pisa indefinitely. Read more

Trieste: Heavy congestion is resulting in partial discharge operations. Remaining containers are then discharged in Alexandria for further transfer. These containers can be delayed for up to two weeks.

Netherlands

Rotterdam: Terminals remain highly congested. Ship delays, alliance transitions, strikes, and staffing shortages are disrupting the flow of containers. Additional constraints, such as terminal reconstruction, crane failures, and unplanned closures, are further reducing capacity. Late-arriving mainliners are prioritised, which delays both waterside and landside operations, especially for hinterland transport. Inland vessels currently face an average wait time of 56 hours. Compounding the issue, record-low Rhine water levels are affecting inland navigation.

Spain

Algeciras: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 3 days. Four vessels were at anchor at the time of publishing.

Las Palmas: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 7 days.

United Kingdom

London Gateway Port: Cargo destined for London Gateway is experiencing longer transit times due to erratic vessel rotations and unscheduled transhipment. Cargo is either being discharged in Southampton or Rotterdam, extending delays and transit times. At the port, yard utilisation for dry and reefer containers has improved. The berth lineup has improved due to vessel diversions to Liverpool and Southampton, blank sailings, etc. Additional labour from Southampton is in place, and block stacking is operational. Rail and landside operations are running smoothly.

Middle East - Indian Subcontinent

Bangladesh

• On 29 May 2025, a deep depression made landfall between India and Bangladesh and has since been gradually weakening. However, adverse weather conditions continue to heavily affect port operations at Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra ports. Read more

Chittagong (Chattogram): Vessel waiting time has increased to around 4 days. Vessels are occupying a berth for 3 days per call. Yard congestion has stabilised at 75%. Due to a train shortage, dwell time for Dhaka ICD-bound imports is 7 to 10 Days for 20s and 2 to 3 days for 40s.

Sri Lanka

Colombo: The port is severely challenged by vessel bunching and congestion. Some carriers have rerouted Pakistan cargo via Colombo, which could increase congestion further. The average delay of transhipment cargo in Colombo is 1-2 weeks. Adverse weather in the last days has also impacted the port. The number of waiting vessels remains stable at 16 this week.

North America

Canada

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

• Halifax: 2 days
• Montreal: 11 days
• Prince Rupert: 9 days
• Saint John: 3 days
• Vancouver: 9 days

Vancouver: Berthing delays have increased to 2 days over the last week. Yard utilisation is high, driven by high volumes moving through this port.

Mexico

Currently, the port of Manzanillo is experiencing significant delays due to overscheduled appointments, extended customs processing times, and severe traffic congestion at entry and exit points. These issues are causing logistical challenges and capacity constraints imposed by port authorities.

In the port, trucks require at least 6 to 7 hours to complete exit procedures, with some reporting longer delays. Outside the port, the situation is worsened by collapsed road infrastructure, leading to waiting times of up to 12 hours or more for export and import gate operations. Daily appointment rescheduling is further complicating the situation.

At Ferrovalle, bonded services remain on hold. Clients are advised to dispatch their cargo in Manzanillo until the situation improves. Kuehne+Nagel urges customers to expedite the customs dispatch process to avoid additional costs such as container demurrages and terminal storage fees.

Due to volume fluctuations and the current situation in Manzanillo, assignment times for Manzanillo exports have been updated from 48 hours to 48-72 hours.

USA

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

• Montreal: 10 days
• Prince Rupert: 17 days
• Vancouver: 13 days
• Charleston: 4 days
• Houston: 12 days
• Los Angeles: 10 days
• Long Beach: 10 days
• New York: 8 days
• Norfolk: 7 days
• Savannah: 4 days

Charleston: Carriers report waiting up to 3 days for a berth.

New York. New Jersey: Adverse weather and fog are causing berthing schedules at the port to be delayed, with waiting times reaching up to 3 days. The last two cranes on the APMT East berth are expected to be operational by the end of June. Meanwhile, 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

Colombia

Cartagena: High volumes challenge operations, resulting in delays to transhipment cargo. At the time of publishing, three container vessels were waiting for a berth.

Costa Rica

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

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 exports has been restricted due to limited capacity, and the retrieval of imports 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.

Jamaica

Kingston: The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.35 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. Due to high volumes, transhipment cargo is facing delays.

Nicaragua

Corinto: The 7-day average vessel waiting time has increased to 3.5 days. The yard density is high. Vessels can wait up to 10 days before operations begin at the port.

Panama

Seaexplorer shows 4 vessels waiting on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal outside Balboa and Rodman. The 7-day average vessel waiting time is around 2.25 days in Balboa, and severe congestion in Rodman is delaying vessel arrivals and causing a transhipment delay of almost four weeks. On the Atlantic side, nine vessels are at anchor.

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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