U.S. and China Suspend Port Fees
U.S. President Donald Trump and President of China Xi Jinping reached a trade framework agreement on October 30 which suspended additional U.S. tariffs and Chinese rare earth export controls for one year. As part of this agreement, the leaders also suspended tit-for-tat fees on foreign-owned and operated vessels entering ports in each country for one year.
The vessel fees could be reinstated if negotiations between the two countries sour; however, the move is set to reduce operating costs for ocean carriers, with some reports suggesting that China-based Cosco Shipping and its subsidiary OOCL incurred over $42 million in fees in the first week of their imposition.
Transpacific Container Spot Rates and Volumes Expected to Decline into the First Half of 2026
Despite the improvement in relations, transpacific container spot rates and volumes are expected to decline into the first half of 2026. The deal reduced some tariffs, but companies are still wary of the remaining tariffs and potential changes in diplomatic sentiment. To avoid additional costs related to tariffs, companies also increased inventory by frontloading shipments ahead of the effective dates, resulting in elevated inventory levels that companies can draw on to fulfill orders.
Ocean carriers also had previously reassigned vessels and modified shipping routes to avoid the elevated tariff fees. The suspension of the fees will maximize carrier flexibility in the event of future disruptions to ocean trade, such as strikes or storms.
In Europe, port workers at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, suspended their strike until November 30 to allow time for negotiations with the government to continue. The move has helped stabilize congestion levels in Europe; however, the port is still working through a backlog of cargo accumulated during the protest dates.
In Africa, ports have been facing operational delays due to ongoing infrastructure issues related to construction projects and protests. Civil unrest and a network outage in Tanzania have further impacted port operations at the Port of Dar es Salaam, with the port shutting down from October 30-31.
Regional Summaries
Africa
Ports across Africa are facing elevated wait times due to ongoing infrastructure construction and congestion.
Severe weather has led the Port of Beira, Mozambique, to face some of the highest wait times of any port in the region, with average wait times of up to 7.8 days according to data from Everstream Analytics.
Wait times have significantly spiked at the Port of Conakry, Guinea, with average wait times at 19 days following a dredging campaign and vessel line-up backlog.
The Port of Kribi, Cameroon, is facing average wait times of 6.5 days, according to data from Everstream Analytics, due to a terminal expansion project.
Equipment shortages and high transshipment volumes are leading to elevated wait times at the Port of Mombasa, Kenya, with average wait times above 4 days, according to Khune+Nagel.
The Port of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, is reporting heavily disrupted operations due to berth sequence and ongoing quay maintenance. The port also experienced a closure from October 30-31 due to ongoing civil unrest around the recent elections in the country and a network outage. Average wait times stand above 5 days according to data from Everstream Analytics but could rise as the disruptions ripple into future weeks.
Asia & Oceania
Ports in Asia and Oceania are generally facing elevated wait times.
The Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, is experiencing some of the highest wait times of any port in the region, with average wait times over 9 days according to data from Khune+Nagel.
The Port of Ningbo, China, is reporting average wait times of 1.54 days due to an ongoing maintenance-related dredging and berth congestion. Other ports in China, including the ports of Qingdao, Shanghai (Yangshan), Yantian, and Shekou, continue to process through backlog in the aftermath of multiple typhoon passages in September and early October that impacted the region earlier this year.
The Port of Singapore, Singapore, is facing average wait times of 1.9 days due to high yard utilization.
The Port of Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai), Vietnam, is facing wait times of 1.8 days due to high yard utilization.
The Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, is facing wait times of 2 days due to crane issues affecting rail operations for over a week, according to data from Keuhne+Nagel.
Middle East & India
Overall, ports in the Middle East and India are not experiencing high wait times.
The Port of Beirut, Lebanon, is experiencing the highest wait times, with average wait times up to 3 days, according to Keuhne+Nagel.
The Port of Chittagong (Chattogram), Bangladesh, is facing average wait times of 2.8 days due to a recent strike that has since been withdrawn, high yard utilization, and berthing delays, according to data from Everstream Analytics and Keuhne+Nagel.
While the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, is not reporting elevated wait times, operations have been impacted by inclement weather and line-up delays.
The Port of Bandar Abbas, Iran, is facing wait times of 2.9 days.
Europe
Overall wait times at ports across Europe have improved but remain slightly elevated.
The ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, Belgium, are recovering operations following a recent strike by workers at the ports.
The Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, faced disruptions on October 30 due to the closure of APM terminals following high winds in the area. Moderate impacts on productivity in the port could persist. Wait times remain elevated at these ports, with average wait times of 3.39 days according to Keuhne+Nagel.
The Port of Koper, Slovenia, is facing the highest wait times of any port in Europe, with average wait times as high as 5 days according to Keuhne+Nagel due to rail reconstruction operations.
In Spain, the ports of Barcelona and Valencia are facing average wait times of 2.5 days and 2.7 days respectively due to impacts from the passage of a recent storm.
Ports in Italy are also facing disruptions, with the ports of Genoa, La Spezia, and Naples facing average wait times of 1.83 days, 2.5 days, and 2.5 days, respectively, according to data from Keuhne+Nagel.
The Port of London, United Kingdom, is facing disruptions at the DP World London Gateway terminal due to a systems issue.
Americas
In South America, port operations have been hampered by recent industrial action and protests.
The Port of Montevideo (TCP), Uruguay, is not reporting elevated wait times; however, recent strikes in October have disrupted operations at the port. Wait times could increase in the port as the ripple effects of the strike were felt. Port workers reached an agreement with the government and ended their strike on October 29.
The Port of Buenaventura, Colombia, is facing wait times of 3 days, according to data from Everstream Analytics. These increased wait times have been driven by recent blockades on roadways around the port.
At the Port of Valparaiso, Chile, average wait times stand at 3.4 days, according to data from Everstream Analytics, due to recent industrial action by port workers.
Average wait times stand at 3.5 days at the Port of Corinto, Nicaragua, but could face max berth times of 10 days according to Khune+Nagel due to high yard density. In Mexico, the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas (Lazaro Cardenas) is facing average wait times of 2.25 days due to customs delays, while the Port of Manzanillo is facing operational disruptions due to protests and blockades from agricultural workers.
In North America, elevated rail wait times continue to delay cargo processing times at ports. Rail dwell times are elevated at ports in Canada, including at the ports of Halifax (4 days), Montreal 6 days), Prince Rupert (6–8 days), and Vancouver (7–9 days).
In the United States, rail dwell times are impacted cargo at ports such as the port of Charleston (2 days), Houston (9–10 days), Los Angeles / Long Beach, (5–6 days), New York / New Jersey (4 days), Norfolk (2–3 days), and Savannah (1–2 days)
Everstream clients are receiving more detailed insights and recommendations about this risk.
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