Adverse weather conditions, including Cyclone Gezani, disrupted port operations across Africa and led to increased congestion. The most notable impacts from Cyclone Gezani occurred at the Port of Toamasina, Madagascar, which suspended operations from February 10-17. The port is crucial for container and commodity shipments to and from the country, with over 90% of container shipments and 80% of commodity shipments traveling through the port.
The Port of Durban, South Africa, experienced disruptions from a power outage on February 19 and could see minor disruptions from a planned port worker meeting on February 24.
In the Asia & Oceania region, port disruptions were relatively minor, and average wait times were stable. As the Chinese New Year holiday concludes, operations are expected to gradually resume to reach normal levels, as some ports had limited operations during the holiday period.
In the Middle East & South Asia region, the ports of Tuticorin and Chennai in India faced disruptions from a strike that took place on February 12. Approximately 40% of port workers participated. The Port of Nhava Sheva, India, reported some terminal disruptions after the Gateway Terminals India areas introduced a new slot allocation system that led to truckers queuing for 25-30 hours, and some cleared trucks waiting for 3-4 days. In Israel, a general strike at ZIM Integrated Shipping Services disrupted cargo operations at the ports of Ashdod and Haifa.
Ports in Europe continue to see major impacts as a result of inclement weather. Ports in Spain and Portugal have largely recovered following severe weather that led to flooding in late January and early February; however, severe wind forced the ports of Valencia, Barcelona, and Algeciras to halt operations on February 12 and 13. The Port of Bremerhaven, Germany, is facing disruptions to cargo operations as a result of winter weather affecting rail movements. Entry into the port is being controlled by an infrastructure manager, resulting in irregular circulation for rail sets. Operations at the Port of Gdańsk, Poland, are also seeing significant delays in train transshipments due to adverse weather, with some rail delays reaching 30 hours. Import capacity is severely strained with slots booked through March 7.
In the Americas, wait times have largely stabilized with relatively low levels of congestion throughout the region. Argentina is facing some maritime disruptions due to a 48-hour nationwide strike that began on February 18. The largest impact will be on grain exports from the country.
Regional Summaries
Africa
Inclement weather across Africa has led to higher wait times for ports in the region. The highest average wait times were recorded at the Port of Beira, Mozambique, with average wait times standing at 23.5 days, according to Everstream Analytics, and Hapag-Lloyd reporting that impacts from severe weather have persisted at the port.
The Port of Conakry, Guinea, is facing average wait times of 14.9 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, and a max wait time for anchored vessels as high as 22 days, with sequence arrival delays impacting the port, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Average wait times at the Port of Freetown, Sierra-Leone, have risen to 9 days, according to Everstream Analytics, with Hapag-Lloyd reporting transport and operational disruptions as a result of inclement weather and changing regulations.
The Port of Casablanca, Morocco, is facing average wait times of 5.6 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, as a result of severe storms that have passed through the region since January 28. Hapag-Lloyd reports that terminals have returned to normal operating procedures but are still grappling with a backlog.
The Port of Cape Town, South Africa, is facing average wait times of 4.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with the port impacted by high winds, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
The Port of Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo, is facing average wait times of 4 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, with Hapag-Lloyd reporting that further delays are possible as customs workers will no longer work on weekends, potentially delaying urgent shipments that are normally cleared on weekends.
Asia & Oceania
The Asia & Oceania region continued to see positive port congestion trends. The highest average wait times in the region were recorded at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, with average wait times at 2.5 days, according to data from Kuehne + Nagel, with some dynamic congestion levels as the port installs new cranes, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
The Port of Shanghai, China, is facing average wait times of 2.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, while Hapag-Lloyd reports that a strict booking program is in place for the Chinese New Year holiday and flagged congestion in the Waigaoqiao area. Wait times remain slightly elevated at the Port of Ningbo, China, with Kuehne + Nagel reporting average wait times of 2 days and a max anchored wait time of 3 days. The Port of Qingdao, China, is facing average wait times of 1.8 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that the port is undergoing dredging work in the container terminal, which has led to increased congestion, and some yards are suspending services due to fully saturated tallying areas.
The Port of Busan, South Korea, is facing average wait times of 1.8 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that the port is facing heavy berth congestion as a result of vessel bunching and late arrivals.
Port Klang, Malaysia, is facing average wait times of 1.4 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, but vessels could face wait times as long as 4 days, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Middle East & South Asia
On the whole, average wait times have slightly increased in the Middle East and South Asia region. The Port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is facing the highest wait time in the region, with average wait times of 3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Chittagong, Bangladesh, is facing average wait times of 2.8 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel. Hapag-Lloyd reports that the port has faced disruptions from work stoppages between January 31 and February 9, with over 104 hours of stoppages in total. Gearless vessels are also facing longer waits of 4-5 days, while geared vessels face 2.3 days of berth congestion.
The Port of Nhava Sheva, India, is facing average wait times of 1.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
Average wait times in Colombo, Sri Lanka, stand at 1.2 days, according to reports from Kuehne + Nagel, with inclement weather impacting berthing operations, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
Europe
Wait times remain largely positive at ports in Europe, with some ports still recovering from storms that have impacted the region since the end of January.
The highest average wait times for the region were recorded in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the Port of Southampton facing average wait times of 2 days, the Port of Felixstowe facing average wait times of 1.9 days, and the Port of Dublin facing average wait times of 2 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Antwerp, Belgium, is facing average wait times of 1.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Hamburg, Germany, is facing average wait times of 1.24 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, while Hapag-Lloyd previously reported that ice on the River Elbe has affected berthing.
Ports in Spain have resumed operations after several severe storms; however, ports are still facing congestion and operational impacts at terminals. The Port of Algeciras is facing wait times of 1 day, the Port of Barcelona is facing average wait times of 1 day, and the Port of Valencia is facing average wait times of 1.4 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
The Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, is facing average wait times of 1.3 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
While average wait times stand at 1 day at the Port of Bremerhaven, Germany, Hapag-Lloyd reports that cargo moving to and from the port is facing delays due to significant irregularities in train traffic.
Americas
On the whole, average wait times for ports in North America have largely stabilized. The highest average wait time in the region was recorded at the Port of Houston, United States, with average wait times standing at 2.8 days, according to Everstream Analytics.
The Port of Vancouver, Canada, is facing average wait times of 2.2 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel, while the Port of Montreal, Canada, is facing average wait times of 2 days, according to Everstream Analytics.
The Port of Veracruz, Mexico, is facing average wait times of 2 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
In South America, average wait times were slightly elevated on the whole. The highest average wait time in the region was recorded at the Port of Buenaventura, Colombia, with average wait times standing at 5.3 days, according to Everstream Analytics, and Hapag-Lloyd reporting high yard utilization.
In Brazil, the Port of Paranaguá is facing average wait times of 4.1 days, while the Port of Santos is facing average wait times of 3.4 days, according to Everstream Analytics.
The Port of Callao, Peru, is facing average wait times of 2.5 days, according to Kuehne + Nagel.
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