Ports in Africa could see some of the largest adjustments to maritime traffic flows following the pending peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran. Following intense negotiations, the two countries have reportedly agreed to a framework for reaching a final, lasting deal within 60 days. As part of this deal, carriers are expected to gradually resume traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting the number of vessel diversions around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
Ports in the region continue to see some weather-related impacts. The Port of Lome, Togo, is set to face a three-day strike from June 25-27 due to worker dissatisfaction with their collective agreement with the port.
In Asia & Oceania, average wait times remain stable. The most significant development to maritime operations in the Middle East & Southeast Asia was the agreement between the U.S. and Iran to restore vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Carriers are maintaining a cautious approach to the resumption of traffic, with the majority of vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz remaining stationary despite the agreement.
Cargo flows to the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, could be impacted by a nationwide 48-hour rail strike that began in the country on June 10.
In Europe, tugboat workers at the Port of Ravenna, Italy, launched a 12-hour strike on June 11 to demand better working conditions. Ports in the region could also face disruptions from rail strikes that were scheduled to take place.
On June 10, a nationwide rail strike was launched in France that was expected to disrupt the movement of trains.
In the United Kingdom, workers at Heavy Haul Rail are set to strike from June 25 for two days.
In the Americas, ports in Mexico faced disruptions from weather, with the ports of Lázaro Cárdenas, Manzanillo, and Veracruz all limiting vessel navigation from June 9-12. Port workers have announced a nationwide strike in Chile from June 18 to protest the government’s response to the sector’s demands.
Regional Summaries
Africa
The highest wait times in the region were reported at the Port of Conakry, Guinea, with average wait times at 14.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that the port is facing limited storage capacity and an insufficient number of empty containers, but mitigation measures are in place, including continuous truck circulation.
The Port of Beira, Mozambique, is facing average wait times of 12.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with weather-related disruptions expected to continue to affect the port, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
The Port of Banjul, Gambia, is facing average wait times of 11.4 days, according to Everstream Analytics.
Average wait times stand at 6.8 days at the Port of Tema, Ghana, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with crane outages leading to berthing delays, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Average wait times at the Port of Mombasa are reported at 5.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with the high wait times the result of equipment shortages, high transshipment volumes, and vessels arriving off window, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Asia & Oceania
The highest average wait times in the region were recorded at the Port of Tanjung Perak/Surabaya, Indonesia, with average wait times reported at 13 days, according to Everstream Analytics.
The Port of Manila, Philippines, reported average wait times of 3.8 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with heavy berth congestion reported by Hapag-Lloyd.
The Port of Melbourne, Australia, reported average wait times of 2.9 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with heavy disruption reported by Hapag-Lloyd.
Average wait times were reported at 2.5 days at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Shanghai, China, reported average wait times of 2.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that vessel clustering and poor visibility are leading to delays.
Middle East & South Asia
The highest wait times in the region were recorded at the Port of Mundra, India, with average wait times of 3.1 days as a result of high transshipment volumes, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that rail congestion is extending overall transit times at the port. Average wait times at the Port of Nhava Sheva, India, stand at 2.1 days as a result of hinterland bottlenecks and vessel bunching, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that trucking constraints and road congestion are further impacting the efficiency of the port overall.
The Port of Karachi, Pakistan, is facing average wait times of 1.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Haifa, Israel, is facing average wait times of 1.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, is facing average wait times of 1 day, according to Kuehne + Nagel; however, Hapag-Lloyd reports that the port is anticipating weather-related disruptions, which will impact vessel arrivals for the coming weeks.
Europe
The Port of Gdansk, Poland, continues to face the highest average wait times of any port in the region, with Kuehne + Nagel reporting average wait times of 2.7 days. Hapag-Lloyd reports heavy operational disruptions at the port.
Average wait times at the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, were reported at 2 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with some feeder delays contributing to wait times.
The Port of London Gateway, United Kingdom, also reported average wait times of 2 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that a rail accident led to some rail issues at the port, and operations should normalize in the coming days.
Average wait times at the Port of Hamburg, Germany, were reported at 1.9 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with Hapag-Lloyd anticipating that operational challenges will persist.
The Port of Valencia, Spain, also recorded average wait times of 1.9 days, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Americas
Average wait times at the Port of Mobile, United States, were reported at 2.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, the highest in the North America region. The Port of Houston, United States, is reporting average wait times of 1.4 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with rail delays contributing to the wait times. Hapag-Lloyd reports that the port has also experienced crane outages that have impacted the port’s efficiency. The ports of Savannah, United States, and Norfolk, United States, both reported average wait times of 1.1 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
South American ports recorded slightly higher average wait times on the whole than their North American counterparts.
The Port of Santos, Brazil, reported average wait times of 3.1 days, according to Everstream Analytics, the highest of any port in the region. The Paranaguá, Brazil, reported average wait times of 1.8 days, according to Everstream Analytics.
The Port of Callao, Peru, and the Port of Itapoa, Brazil, each reported average wait times of 1.6 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
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