Port News Snapshot
- In Africa, the Port of Durban, South Africa, faced several disruptions due to winds and power outages. The port is set to undergo maintenance on Berth C, leading to operational constraints for the foreseeable future.
- Port workers across Nigeria called for a nationwide strike to protest harassment by the maritime police.
- In Asia, several ports reported lingering disruptions due to Typhoons Dolphin and Saudel. The ports of Ningbo and Yantian, China, reported long wait times and backlogs because of the back-to-back storms in late August.
- The Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, suffered a cyber-attack on September 9. The cyber-attack forced the port to suspend all container movements as a precaution. A recovery plan is in place.
- In the Middle East, resurgent strikes between the U.S. and Iran impacted vessels. Several tankers were targeted. The Houthi group has reportedly seized the Port of Mocha, Yemen. This is raising fears about a possible increase in attacks on vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea.
- In Europe, port operations continue to be affected by port workers’ industrial actions. Strikes occured at the ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven, Germany, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Naples, Italy.
- The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has renewed focus on Black Sea maritime infrastructure. Strikes on vessels and port facilities have severely hampered the flow of goods from the region. This is especially affecting the global grain market.
- In the Americas, Tropical Storm Edouard disrupted operations at the ports of Houston and Lake Charles, United States, as well as in the Sabine-Neches Channel.
- The Panama Canal has seen an uptick in congestion due to vessels diverting from the Middle East. Wait times have reached 19 days in some instances. Some carriers are opting to reroute around South America to avoid long wait times.
Regional Summaries
Africa
Kuehne + Nagel reported the region’s highest average wait time at the Port of Conakry, Guinea, at 10.1 days. In addition, the port is implementing a new berthing procedure.
According to Everstream Analytics data, average wait times at the Port of Beira, Mozambique, stand at 7.4 days. At the Port of Harcourt, Nigeria, wait times are at 7.8 days.
Kuehne + Nagel reports average wait times of 6.2 days at the Port of Durban, South Africa, amid adverse weather conditions.
The Port of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, is facing average wait times of 4.25 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. In addition, the yard is heavily congested, and current berth delays for window vessels are up to 8 days. A terminal recovery plan is active, with improvements expected within 6-7 weeks.
The Port of Dakar, Senegal, faces an average wait time of 4.3 days. According to Kuehne + Nagel, the yard remains heavily congested,
The Port of Mombasa, Kenya, is facing average port wait times of 4 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel and the terminal continues to face long-term congestion, driven by slow productivity resulting from equipment shortages and high transshipment volumes. A concentration of vessels arriving outside their allocated berthing windows has further exacerbated berth delays.
The Port of Tema, Ghana, is facing an average wait time of 5.8 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. The terminal is facing a reefer yard issue.
Yard congestion remains severe at the Port of Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo, with utilization exceeding 100% and average wait time of 3.5 days, according to Everstream Analytics. Terminal operators are prioritizing vessels carrying high-load volumes to reduce yard congestion. Feeder vessels are experiencing extended waiting times for berths, particularly those handling connections from mainline services, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Asia & Oceania
Kuehne + Nagel recorded the region’s highest average wait time at the Port of Shanghai, China, at 4.7 days, following Typhoon Saudel. Barge resources are very tight.
Average port wait times at the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, China, stand at 3.6 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, as the port was closed for 78 hours due to Typhoon Saudel. Yard density for all Ningbo terminals is running at a high level.
The Port of Yantian, China, is facing average wait times of 2.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Conditions are expected to improve following the Golden Week holiday period.
The Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, reported an average wait time of 2.4 days. Port operations were suspended for 19 hours from September 2-3 due to the combined impact of storm Saudel and high waves.
The Port of Manila, Philippines, is facing an average wait time of 2.7 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
Kuehne + Nagel reports that the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, is facing an average wait time of 3.6 days.
Middle East & India
The highest average port wait times in the region were recorded at the Port of Salalah, Oman, at 3.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. The yard is also facing congestion with density of up to 73%, impacting productivity and leading to berthing delays of up to 36 hours.
In Sri Lanka, the Port of Colombo faces an average wait time of 2.3 days due to high yard density and bad weather impacts, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The ports of Mundra and Nhava Sheva (JNPT), India, are facing average wait times of 1.38 and 1.29 days, respectively, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Seasonal rains are forecasted for the next few weeks and may impact cargo and terminal operations. Intermittent marine suspensions are impacting the lineup.
Additionally, empty container yard operations at the Port of Mundra, India, faced disruptions due to a strike, affecting key container handling activities in empty yards. Freight movement by road was virtually halted at the port. Port operations had resumed by September 11 after the Mundra Empty Container Yards & Allied Services Provider Association (MECYASA) called off the 13-day strike at around 10:00 local time on the same day.
Europe
The Port of Valencia, Spain, is facing the highest average wait times of 2.5 days in the region, as reported by Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Le Havre, France, is facing average wait times of 2.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with the port suspending commercial activities on September 9 due to strong winds.
Average wait times at the Port of Hamburg, Germany, stand at 1.9 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. The terminal is congested due to ongoing construction.
According to Kuehne + Nagel, the Port of Bremerhaven, Germany, is facing average wait times of 1.4 days.
The Port of Dublin, Ireland, is facing average wait times of 1.33 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
Average wait times at the Port of Southampton, United Kingdom, stand at 1.71 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with yard utilization at 75-80% of capacity.
The Port of Genoa, Italy, saw average wait times of 2 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
According to Kuehne + Nagel, the Port of Barcelona, Spain, reported average wait times of 1.8 days.
The Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, is facing average wait times of 1.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, as the yard utilization remains at critical levels.
Americas
The Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, is facing the highest average wait times in the region at 1.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
In Canada, the Port of Vancouver, is facing average wait times of 1 day, according to Kuehne + Nagel. The average import rail dwell time is 3.3 days, with heavy ground count and strong rail car supply. Furthermore, the average wait time at the Port of Montreal, Canada, stands at 1.43 days, with average rail dwell times of 8 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
In the United States, the Port of Charleston is facing an average wait time of 1.33 days.
The Port of Santos, Brazil, reported the region’s highest average wait times at 3.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, due to adverse weather conditions.
Kuehne + Nagel reports average wait times of 1.2 days at the Port of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Average wait times at the Port of Montevideo, Uruguay, stand at 1.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Furthermore, disruptions persist due to an indefinite strike at the Terminal Cuenca del Plata.
Kuehne + Nagel also reports average wait times of 1.5 days at the Port of Navegantes, Brazil, due to unfavorable weather conditions.
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