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Inter-Sped Freight & Logistics Brief – 30 October 2026

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Partners,
Please find below our latest weekly update — 30 October 2026.

As always, the team and I are ready to assist with any Freight & Logistics queries you may have.

Critical Alerts This Week

Durban: Pier 1 at 13-16 days and Pier 2 (DGT) at 11-41 days; some carriers report up to 35 days for berthing at Pier 1, and DGT is reducing waterside gangs to clear landside, resulting in further delays.

Port strikes, 30 October: coordinated dockworker strikes and demonstrations at 113 ports in 22 countries, including Hamburg, Le Havre, Genoa, Piraeus, Tangier Med and Nhava Sheva; up to 40,000 containers potentially delayed. Italy faces another national general strike on 20 November.

Los Angeles / Long Beach: about 35,700 import containers awaiting on-dock rail as of 26 October, and ILWU Local 26 watchmen have authorised potential strike action from 1 November (negotiations ongoing).

Asia–South Africa: capacity extremely tight with booking rolls and non-release of bookings; CFS operations constrained, freight rates elevated, and some carriers have published blank sailings in Week 46.

South Africa

Air Freight:

General: Rates remain elevated. Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity. Fuel Surcharge on most airlines have increased.

Ethiopian Airlines faces on-forwarding backlogs on connecting flights from Addis Ababa.

SA Airlink and SAA have backlogs into Africa.

For Exports Ex-South Africa British Airways /Turkish Airlines/ Qatar/KLM is upselling rates at time of booking due to capacity.

Backlogs out of the Far East due to typhoons in China persist but are easing.

Sea Freight:

Durban congestion continues to impact import and export supply chains, with vessel waiting times above historical norms, high yard density at the CFS and truck queuing at DGT gates. Wind gusts expected this weekend may delay Cape Town, where the deciduous fruit export peak will add pressure on terminal capacity. Port Elizabeth and Coega remain functional and are performing well.

Next public holidays: 4 November (Local Government Elections) and 16 December (Day of Reconciliation).

KwaZulu-Natal (Durban)

Pier 1: 13-16 days; two cranes on long breakdown; further crane and equipment failures; some carriers report up to 35 days for berthing — Critical
Pier 2 (DGT): 11-41 days; equipment failure; waterside gangs reduced to clear landside, resulting in further delays; gate-in/out delays — Critical
Point: 0-1 days — Stable

Western Cape (Cape Town)

CTCT: 0-2 days; weekend wind gusts may cause delays; fruit export peak — Moderate
MPT: 0-1 days — Stable

Eastern Cape (Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth)

PECT: 0-2 days; low congestion; good inland connectivity — Moderate
NCT: 2-3 days — Moderate

Africa & Indian Ocean Islands

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Ethiopian Airlines is sitting with backlogs of 5 to 7 days Ex-Addis Ababa.

SA Airlink and SAA faces Congestion into Africa.

Sea Freight:

West Africa remains one of the more challenging environments, with significant pressure at Conakry, Abidjan, Tema and selected Nigerian gateways; carrier congestion and Peak Season Surcharges remain in effect. In Madagascar some carriers report 20+ days waiting time, and the October-December rainy season is the main inland risk across East Africa.

West Africa

Namibia — Walvis Bay: 3 days — Moderate
Angola — Luanda: 6 days; inland bottlenecks; Customs and border processes — Disrupted
Ghana — Tema: 3 days; high yard and reefer utilisation; trucking shortages; congestion through November — Moderate
Ghana — Takoradi: 3 days — Moderate
Nigeria — Apapa: 5 days; vessel queues; landside trucking and Customs bottlenecks — Disrupted
Nigeria — Tin Can: 1 day — Stable
Côte d’Ivoire — Abidjan: 3 days; one of the region’s most congested gateways; high yard density; truck shortages — Moderate

Indian Ocean Islands

Mauritius — Port Louis: 0-2 days; high transshipment volumes; connection delay risk — Moderate
Madagascar — Toamasina / Tamatave: 1 day; some carriers report 20+ days waiting; wind and rain; inland road constraints — Disrupted
Réunion — Réunion: 1 day; dependent on regional feeder services — Stable

East Africa

Mozambique — Beira: 15 days; wind gusts and rain — Critical
Mozambique — Maputo: 2 days; wind gusts and rain; seasonal rainfall — Moderate
Kenya — Mombasa: 3 days; elevated vessel waits; high yard utilisation; Customs release delays — Moderate
Tanzania — Dar es Salaam: 6 days — Disrupted

Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent

Sea Freight:

The Middle East remains the highest-risk region globally: the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues to drive booking restrictions, landbridge solutions, war-risk premiums and congestion surcharges. Cyclone Arnab made landfall in Andhra Pradesh on 28 October, adding disruption along India’s east coast, while Colombo transshipment congestion continues to cause missed feeder connections.

Indian Sub-Continent

India — Nhava Sheva: 3 days; vessel delays above norms; gate congestion; yard pressure — Moderate
India — Chennai: 2 days; transshipment exposure; road congestion at peak — Moderate
India — Mundra: 3 days — Moderate
Sri Lanka — Colombo: 0-2 days; transshipment congestion; missed feeders; vessel omissions — Moderate
Pakistan — Karachi: 4 days; operations generally stable — Moderate

Middle East-Gulf

UAE — Jebel Ali: 8 days — Disrupted
UAE — Khor Fakkan: 11 days — Critical
UAE — Al Fujairah: 6 days — Disrupted
UAE — Sharjah: 1 day; LCL cleared and collected at Jebel Ali CFS — Stable
UAE — Abu Dhabi: 2 days — Moderate
UAE — Dubai: 2 days — Moderate
Saudi Arabia — Jeddah: 2 days; periodic schedule volatility — Moderate
Saudi Arabia — King Abdullah: 3 days; carrier network restrictions — Moderate
Saudi Arabia — Dammam: 8 days; capacity constraints — Disrupted

North America

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Sea Freight:

US–South Africa services continue to see port omissions, amended rotations and unscheduled transshipments linked to Durban. At Los Angeles/Long Beach, about 35,700 import containers were awaiting on-dock rail as of 26 October, and a potential ILWU Local 26 watchmen strike from 1 November could affect vessel, yard and truck-gate operations.

Canada

Canada — Montreal: 2 days; generally stable — Moderate
Canada — Vancouver: 1 day; rail capacity constraints; inland terminal congestion — Stable

United States

USA — New York: 3 days; strong imports; drayage congestion at peak — Moderate
USA — Savannah: 2 days; chassis shortages; inland drayage pressure — Moderate
USA — Los Angeles: 2 days; potential labour disruption; inland rail delays — Moderate
USA — Long Beach: 4 days; potential labour disruption; inland rail delays — Moderate

Latin America

Air Freight:

General: Rates remain elevated. All areas are running with some capacity constraints experienced on some routings. Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

KLM congested.

Sea Freight:

Mexico’s Pacific gateways, especially Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas, remain the main pressure point as recovery continues after Hurricanes Simon and Trudy; agricultural exports are increasing demand for reefer equipment and vessel space.

Argentina

Argentina — Buenos Aires: 1 day — Stable

Brazil

Brazil — Paranaguá: 1 day — Stable
Brazil — Santos: 1 day; export-season congestion; trucking shortages; reefer demand — Stable

Mexico

Mexico — Altamira: 3 days; stable berth availability — Moderate
Mexico — Veracruz: 2 days; minimal congestion — Moderate
Mexico — Manzanillo: 7 days; hurricane recovery; backlogs; congestion into early November — Disrupted

Europe — NW Continent, UK & Med

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Sea Freight:

Coordinated dockworker strikes on 30 October hit major gateways including Hamburg, Le Havre, Genoa and Piraeus, and Italy faces another national general strike on 20 November. Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg remain congested, with inland trucking, barge and chassis constraints; some SA-trade transshipment delays via Las Palmas, Sines and Algeciras. UK rail services from London Gateway were suspended earlier in the week after a derailment.

North-West Continent

Belgium — Antwerp: 4 days; high terminal utilisation; pressure through November — Moderate
Netherlands — Rotterdam: 2 days; elevated yard occupancy; barge and feeder delays — Moderate
France — Le Havre: 1 day; protests; possible trucking and rail delays — Stable
Germany — Hamburg: 8 days; terminal modernisation works; vessel delays above average — Disrupted
Germany — Bremerhaven: 1 day — Stable

United Kingdom

UK — London Gateway: 3 days; rail suspension after derailment; inland disruption risk — Moderate

Mediterranean

Italy — Genoa: 8 days; port strike 30 October; vessel and inland trucking delays — Disrupted
Italy — La Spezia: 2 days — Moderate
Spain — Barcelona: 2 days; network realignments — Moderate
Turkey — Istanbul: 3 days; strong export volumes — Moderate
Turkey — Izmir: 1 day; inland truck capacity constraints — Stable

Asia Pacific (incl. Oceania)

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Sea Freight:

Asia–South Africa capacity remains extremely tight across all origins, with booking rolls, non-release of bookings and constrained CFS operations; cargo moves first-in-first-out, rates remain elevated and some carriers have published blank sailings in Week 46. Qingdao military exercises run to 30 November with expected slippage of 3-10 days.

China

China — Hong Kong: 2 days; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Moderate
China — Nansha / Guangzhou: 1 day; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Stable
China — Ningbo: 3 days; elevated congestion; bunching; blank sailings — Moderate
China — Qingdao: 2 days; military exercises to 30 November; slippage 3-10 days — Disrupted
China — Shanghai: 2 days; severe backlogs into November; elevated berth waits — Disrupted
China — Shekou / Shenzhen: 2 days; high terminal utilisation — Moderate
China — Xiamen: 2 days; capacity constraints — Moderate
China — Tianjin / Xingang: 3 days; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Moderate
China — Dalian: 2 days; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Moderate

South-East Asia

Singapore — Singapore: 2 days; vessel queues; transshipment delays of 15-21 days reported — Moderate
Thailand — Bangkok (THBKK): 2 days; localised flooding; airfreight also affected — Moderate
Thailand — Laem Chabang: 1 day; flood-related disruption in some areas — Stable

North Asia

Korea — Busan (KRPUS): 2 days; high yard occupancy — Moderate
Korea — Busan (KRBNP): 1 day; high yard occupancy — Stable
Taiwan — Kaohsiung: 3 days; high yard density; Typhoon Champi recovery — Moderate
Taiwan — Keelung: 1 day; Typhoon Champi recovery — Stable

Trade News

DGT recovery timeline: Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said DGT’s transition timing contributed to congestion, with a return to former performance levels expected between December 2026 and February 2027. (Freight News, 29 October 2026)

Manufacturers hit by Durban delays: Vessel delays at DGT are disrupting manufacturing schedules, with some businesses switching to costlier air freight; SAAFF reports 10 to 12 vessels still at anchorage. (Freight News, 29 October 2026)

Global port strike: Unions held a coordinated day of action on 30 October with strikes and protests at more than 100 ports over military cargo, pay and automation; impact was limited in some ports but significant in France and Greece. (Port Technology International, 30 October 2026)

Durban rotation change: Delays at Durban Pier 1 prompted Maersk to change the ONE Resilience rotation to Coega–Cape Town–Durban, with some Cape Town exports potentially rolling to the following vessel. (Freight News, 20 October 2026)

Key Articles This Week

Ocean Trade Summary — Issue 37/2026 (SACO, 30 October 2026)
World Container Index — 29 Oct (Drewry, 29 October 2026)
DGT transition timing ‘not good’ – Creecy (Freight News, 29 October 2026)
Port bottlenecks deal blow to manufacturers (Freight News, 29 October 2026)
Dockworker strikes disrupt ports over military cargo (Port Technology International, 30 October 2026)
Durban delays force vessel rotation change (Freight News, 20 October 2026)

And that’s it – as always, the Inter-Sped team is ready to jump for you!

Best Regards,
Linda & The Inter-Sped Team

Fri | 30 October |2026

Inter-Sped Freight & Logistics Brief – 23 October 2026

Dear Clients and Partners,
Please find below our latest weekly update — 23 October 2026.

As always, the team are ready to assist with any queries you may have.

Critical Alerts This Week

Durban: Pier 1 at 7-17 days and Pier 2 (DGT) at 3-11 days; DGT average anchorage wait of 10.5 days with an estimated backlog of ~30,000 container moves, DGT productivity is improving.

Gulf: Dubai at 34 days, Abu Dhabi at 21 days, Al Fujairah at 16 days and Dammam at 12 days; Strait of Hormuz disruption and carrier booking restrictions continue.

Africa & Indian Ocean Islands: Beira at 20 days; some Abidjan vessels waiting up to 12 days to berth; civil unrest and a curfew in Mauritius halted Port Louis night shifts, causing extended delays and some vessel omissions.

Asia–South Africa: capacity extremely tight with booking rolls and non-release of bookings; further rate increases expected into November. Shanghai schedule reliability at about 12-21%, Qingdao slippage of 3-10 days during military exercises, and Typhoon Champi reached Taiwan on 23 October.

South Africa

Air Freight:

General: Rates remain elevated. Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity. Fuel Surcharge on most airlines have increased.

Ethiopian Airlines faces on-forwarding backlogs on connecting flights from Addis Ababa.

SA Airlink and SAA have backlogs into Africa.

For Exports Ex-South Africa British Airways /Turkish Airlines/ Qatar/KLM is upselling rates at time of booking due to capacity.

Backlogs out of the Far East due to typhoons in China persist but are easing.

Sea Freight:

Durban congestion persists at both Pier 1 and DGT, although DGT waterside productivity is up and landside also up. Wind gusts expected on Sunday and Monday may delay Cape Town, where the deciduous fruit export peak will pressure reefer plugs.

Next public holiday: 4 November (Local Government Elections).

KwaZulu-Natal (Durban)

Pier 1: 7-17 days; two cranes on long breakdown; equipment failures; some vessel delays up to 14 days — Critical
Pier 2 (DGT): 3-11 days; average anchorage wait 10.5 days; berth delay 5.3 days; backlog about 30,000 moves; gate-in/out delays — Critical
Point: 0-1 days — Stable

Western Cape (Cape Town)

CTCT: 0-2 days; wind delays may affect productivity and berth planning — Moderate
MPT: 0-1 days; equipment repair in progress — Stable

Eastern Cape (Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth)

PECT: 0-2 days; strong winds Sunday 25th may impact operations — Moderate
NCT: 2-3 days; wind delays in Week 43 — Moderate

Africa & Indian Ocean Islands

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Ethiopian Airlines is sitting with backlogs of 5 to 7 days Ex-Addis Ababa.

SA Airlink and SAA faces Congestion into Africa.

Sea Freight:

Conakry congestion is particularly severe, with bottlenecks at Tema and Abidjan; carrier congestion surcharges and PSS increases are taking effect. Civil unrest in Mauritius disrupted Port Louis this week, and above-normal October-December rainfall raises inland transport risk across East Africa.

West Africa

Namibia — Walvis Bay: 1 day; intermittent wind gusts all week — Stable
Angola — Luanda: 8 days — Disrupted
Ghana — Tema: 6 days; high yard utilisation; reefer congestion; trucking shortages — Disrupted
Ghana — Takoradi: 3 days — Moderate
Nigeria — Apapa: 4 days; landside trucking and Customs clearance bottlenecks — Moderate
Nigeria — Tin Can: 2 days — Moderate
Côte d’Ivoire — Abidjan: 7 days; high yard occupancy; truck shortages; some vessels waiting up to 12 days to berth — Disrupted

Indian Ocean Islands

Mauritius — Port Louis: 0-4 days; civil unrest and curfew; night shift suspended; some vessel omissions; stabilising — Disrupted
Madagascar — Toamasina / Tamatave: 4 days; yard congestion; RN2 corridor congestion; terminal improving — Moderate
Réunion — Réunion: 4 days — Moderate

East Africa

Mozambique — Beira: 20 days; wind gusts and rain — Critical
Mozambique — Maputo: 1 day; wind gusts and rain — Stable
Kenya — Mombasa: 5 days; high yard utilisation; empty-container imbalance; Customs delays; pressure into November — Disrupted
Tanzania — Dar es Salaam: 2 days — Moderate

Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent

Sea Freight:

Strait of Hormuz disruption, Gulf booking restrictions, war-risk premiums and congestion surcharges keep Gulf risk high, with growing reliance on landbridge solutions. India–South Africa capacity remains tight; rates stable but high.

Indian Sub-Continent

India — Nhava Sheva: 3 days; high dwell times; road congestion; gate delays — Moderate
India — Chennai: 1 day; Colombo transshipment exposure — Stable
India — Mundra: 3 days; schedule disruption from Middle East routing changes — Moderate
Sri Lanka — Colombo: 0-2 days; transshipment congestion; missed feeder connections; vessel omissions — Moderate
Pakistan — Karachi: 3 days — Moderate

Middle East-Gulf

UAE — Jebel Ali: 8 days — Disrupted
UAE — Khor Fakkan: 6 days — Disrupted
UAE — Al Fujairah: 16 days — Critical
UAE — Sharjah: 1 day; LCL cleared and collected at Jebel Ali CFS — Stable
UAE — Abu Dhabi: 21 days — Critical
UAE — Dubai: 34 days — Critical
Saudi Arabia — Jeddah: 5 days; elevated cargo diversion; security-related disruptions — Disrupted
Saudi Arabia — King Abdullah: 3 days — Moderate
Saudi Arabia — Dammam: 12 days; security-related disruptions; constrained air and ocean capacity — Critical

North America

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Sea Freight:

US–South Africa services continue to see port omissions, amended rotations and unscheduled transshipments linked to Durban; railcar shortages, Panama Canal draft restrictions and post-Golden Week vessel bunching add pressure.

Canada

Canada — Montreal: 2 days — Moderate
Canada — Vancouver: 3 days; rail capacity constraints; inland terminal congestion — Moderate

United States

USA — New York: 3 days; high imports; drayage congestion at peak gate periods — Moderate
USA — Savannah: 3 days; chassis shortages; inland drayage pressure — Moderate
USA — Los Angeles: 3 days — Moderate
USA — Long Beach: 3 days — Moderate

Latin America

Air Freight:

General: Rates remain elevated. All areas are running with some capacity constraints experienced on some routings. Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

KLM congested.

Sea Freight:

Mexico’s Pacific ports remain the main pressure point after Hurricanes Simon and Trudy; most South American gateways operate with manageable congestion, while agricultural exports and year-end restocking tighten equipment and capacity.

Argentina

Argentina — Buenos Aires: 2 days — Moderate

Brazil

Brazil — Paranaguá: 0 day — Stable
Brazil — Santos: 2 days; high agri and container volumes — Moderate

Mexico

Mexico — Altamira: 3 days; absorbing diversions from Pacific gateways — Moderate
Mexico — Veracruz: 2 days — Moderate
Mexico — Manzanillo: 7 days; hurricane closures; backlog recovery; congestion into early November — Disrupted

Europe — NW Continent, UK & Med

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Sea Freight:

Durban-linked omissions keep Europe–South Africa transit times elevated and carriers have issued Peak Season Surcharges. A one-day strike is called at French ports on 30 October, and fuel-cost protests disrupted road transport in Southern Italy (easing as at 23 October).

North-West Continent

Belgium — Antwerp: 2 days; high storage density — Moderate
Netherlands — Rotterdam: 2 days; elevated yard occupancy; some extended berthing delays — Moderate
France — Le Havre: 5 days; IT incident at Terminal de Normandie; port strike called 30 October — Disrupted
Germany — Hamburg: 2 days; CTA works; some vessel delays 5-7 days; some carriers omitting CTA — Moderate
Germany — Bremerhaven: 1 day — Stable

United Kingdom

UK — London Gateway: 2 days — Moderate

Mediterranean

Italy — Genoa: 2 days; Southern Italy protests; inland trucking delays — Moderate
Italy — La Spezia: 3 days — Moderate
Spain — Barcelona: 3 days; Med network realignments — Moderate
Turkey — Istanbul: 4 days; strong export volumes — Moderate
Turkey — Izmir: 1 day; inland truck capacity constraints — Stable

Asia Pacific (incl. Oceania)

Air Freight:

General: Peak season in full swing. Rates are higher and are dependent on space capacity

Sea Freight:

Asia–South Africa capacity is extremely tight across all origins, with booking rolls, non-release of bookings and constrained CFS operations; cargo is moving first-in-first-out and further rate increases are expected into November.

China

China — Hong Kong: 1 day; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Stable
China — Nansha / Guangzhou: 2 days; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Moderate
China — Ningbo: 2 days; significant congestion; reliability about 17-35%; severe capacity constraints — Moderate
China — Qingdao: 2 days; military exercises to 30 November; schedule slippage 3-10 days — Disrupted
China — Shanghai: 3 days; severe backlogs; berthing delays up to 5 days; reliability about 12-21% — Disrupted
China — Shekou / Shenzhen: 0 day; yard density above 90% — Moderate
China — Xiamen: 1 day; capacity constraints — Stable
China — Tianjin / Xingang: 4 days; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Moderate
China — Dalian: 2 days; capacity constraints; schedule unreliability — Moderate

South-East Asia

Singapore — Singapore: 2 days; elevated vessel queues; transshipment delays of 15-21 days reported — Moderate
Thailand — Bangkok (THBKK): 1 day; localised flooding; airfreight also affected — Stable
Thailand — Laem Chabang: 1 day; flood-related disruption in some areas — Stable

North Asia

Korea — Busan (KRPUS): 2 days; high yard occupancy — Moderate
Korea — Busan (KRBNP): 2 days; high yard occupancy — Moderate
Taiwan — Kaohsiung: 2 days; Typhoon Champi response; cargo and Customs disruption — Moderate
Taiwan — Keelung: 1 day; Typhoon Champi response; cargo and Customs disruption — Stable

Trade News

Global container rates: The Drewry World Container Index rose 2% for 40ft container, driven by Asia–Europe and Transpacific rates; its second consecutive weekly increase and highest level in 15 weeks. (Drewry, 22 October 2026)

Diesel levy relief: The diesel levy will be cut; the Road Freight Association says this gives transporters breathing space. (Freight News, 22 October 2026)

Border vehicle checks: The Border Management Authority plans to expand its Vehicle Targeting System to eight ports of entry by February 2027; it currently operates at Maseru Bridge, Lebombo, Vioolsdrif, Beitbridge, Ficksburg and Caledonspoort. (Freight News, 19 October 2026)

Durban DGT recovery: DGT reported two-week gains of about 15% in total moves, but 11 vessels remained at anchorage as at 15 October with about 30,352 moves waiting, and around 10,000 containers redirected via Pier 1/Point. (SAAFF/BUSA Cargo Movement Update via EWC, 15 October 2026)

Key Articles This Week

Ocean Trade Summary — Issue 36/2026 (SACO, 23 October 2026)
World Container Index — 22 Oct (Drewry, 22 October 2026)
Diesel levy relief gives transporters breathing space (Freight News, 22 October 2026)
BMA to expand vehicle checks to eight border posts (Freight News, 19 October 2026)
Cargo Movement Update – 11 October 2026 (EWC, 15 October 2026)

And that’s it – as always, the Inter-Sped team is ready to jump for you!

Best Regards, Jason & The Inter-Sped Team

Fri | 23 October |2026

Inter-Sped Freight & Logistics Brief – 9 October 2026

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Partners,
Please find below our latest weekly update — 9 October 2026.

As always, the team and I are ready to assist with any Freight & Logistics queries you may have.

Critical Alerts This Week

Durban: Pier 1 at 7-10 days and Pier 2 (DGT) at 10-16 days; equipment failures, yard congestion and carrier omissions continue.

Gulf: Dubai at 34 days and Sharjah at 14 days; inbound Sharjah LCL must clear and be collected at Jebel Ali.

Africa and Canada: Beira at 19 days; Montreal at 10 days, with low water restricting vessel loading capacity.

Asia–South Africa: post-Golden Week congestion, limited vessel capacity and announced second-half October rate increases add booking and schedule risk.

South Africa

Air Freight:

General: Rates remain elevated. Going into peak season sees capacity constraints with higher freight rates. Fuel Surcharge on most airlines have increased.

Ethiopian Airlines faces on-forwarding backlogs on connecting flights from Addis Ababa.

SA Airlink have backlogs into Africa.

For Exports Ex-South Africa British Airways /Turkish Airlines/ Qatar/KLM is upselling rates at time of booking due to capacity.

Backlogs out of the Far East due to typhoons in China persist but are easing.

Sea Freight:

Durban equipment failures and high yard congestion continue to disrupt vessel and truck flows; carrier omissions and transshipment rerouting extend transit times.

KwaZulu-Natal (Durban)

Pier 1: 7-10 days; crane breakdowns; equipment failures; recovery delays — Disrupted
Pier 2 (DGT): 10-16 days; severe waterside/landside delays; equipment shortages; high yard congestion — Critical
Point: 0-1 days — Stable

Western Cape (Cape Town)

CTCT: 0-2 days; some services face up to 5 days berthing delay — Moderate
MPT: 0-1 days — Stable

Eastern Cape (Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth)

PECT: 0-1 days — Stable
NCT: 2-4 days; reduced productivity — Moderate

Africa & Indian Ocean Islands

Air Freight:

General: Going into peak season sees capacity constraints with higher freight rates

Ethiopian Airlines is sitting with backlogs of 5 to 7 days Ex-Addis Ababa.

SA Airlink faces Congestion into Africa.

Sea Freight:

High yard density, trucking shortages and inland evacuation bottlenecks persist; Beira remains the most delayed gateway, while Mombasa and Abidjan stay under pressure.

West Africa

Namibia — Walvis Bay: 4 days; intermittent wind gusts — Moderate
Angola — Luanda: 1 day — Stable
Ghana — Tema: 6 days; high yard density; trucking shortages; reefer congestion — Disrupted
Ghana — Takoradi: 2 days — Moderate
Nigeria — Apapa: 2 days; road congestion constrains evacuation — Moderate
Nigeria — Tin Can: 3 days — Moderate
Côte d’Ivoire — Abidjan: 8 days; yard congestion; equipment reliability; truck shortages — Disrupted

Indian Ocean Islands

Mauritius — Port Louis: 0-2 days; transshipment pressure; winds and swell; peak truck queues — Moderate
Madagascar — Toamasina / Tamatave: 2 days; RN2 inland truck delays; yard pressure — Moderate
Réunion — Réunion: 1-2 days — Moderate

East Africa

Mozambique — Beira: 19 days; terminal recovery delays; wind and rain — Critical
Mozambique — Maputo: 4 days; wind gusts and rain — Moderate
Kenya — Mombasa: 6 days; berth/yard pressure; empty-container constraints; Customs delays — Disrupted
Tanzania — Dar es Salaam: 2 days — Moderate

Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent

Sea Freight:

Gulf security and routing restrictions keep risk elevated; inbound Sharjah LCL cargo must be discharged, Customs-cleared and collected at Jebel Ali until further notice.

Indian Sub-Continent

India — Nhava Sheva: 2 days; road and gate congestion — Moderate
India — Chennai: 2 days — Moderate
India — Mundra: 2 days — Moderate
Sri Lanka — Colombo: 0-2 days; inter-terminal congestion; yard pressure; feeder shortages — Moderate
Pakistan — Karachi: 3 days — Moderate

Middle East-Gulf

UAE — Jebel Ali: 6 days — Disrupted
UAE — Khor Fakkan: 11 days; high volumes; transshipment demand — Critical
UAE — Al Fujairah: 6 days — Disrupted
UAE — Sharjah: 14 days; inbound LCL clearance and pickup at Jebel Ali CFS — Critical
UAE — Abu Dhabi: 8 days — Disrupted
UAE — Dubai: 34 days — Critical
Saudi Arabia — Jeddah: 2 days; vessel omissions; service adjustments — Moderate
Saudi Arabia — King Abdullah: 6 days — Disrupted
Saudi Arabia — Dammam: 1 day; schedule volatility; high volumes — Stable

North America

Air Freight:

General: Going into peak season sees capacity constraints with higher freight rates

Sea Freight:

Low water constrains Canadian vessel loading; US inland drayage and chassis remain under pressure, while Durban-linked omissions disrupt South Africa service rotations.

Canada

Canada — Montreal: 10 days; low water limits vessel loading — Critical
Canada — Vancouver: 6 days — Disrupted

United States

USA — New York: 3 days — Moderate
USA — Savannah: 3 days; drayage and chassis pressure — Moderate
USA — Los Angeles: 2 days; strong Asian import demand — Moderate
USA — Long Beach: 6 days; import pressure; gate schedule changes — Disrupted

Latin America

Air Freight:

General: Rates remain elevated. All areas are running with some capacity constraints experienced on some routings. Going into peak season sees capacity constraints with higher freight rates

KLM congested.

Sea Freight:

Inland trucking, Customs bottlenecks and vessel schedule volatility remain the main risks, with Brazilian export demand and Mexican nearshoring adding pressure.

Argentina

Argentina — Buenos Aires: 5 days; trucking, river transport and Customs constraints — Disrupted

Brazil

Brazil — Paranaguá: 3 days — Moderate
Brazil — Santos: 1 day — Stable

Mexico

Mexico — Altamira: 2 days — Moderate
Mexico — Veracruz: 1 day — Stable
Mexico — Manzanillo: 3 days; inland bottlenecks; Customs delays; high import volumes — Moderate

Europe — NW Continent, UK & Med

Air Freight:

General: Going into peak season sees capacity constraints with higher freight rates

Sea Freight:

Low Rhine water levels restrict barge capacity and raise inland costs; vessel bunching and Durban-linked rotation changes continue to affect reliability.

North-West Continent

Belgium — Antwerp: 2 days; high yard utilisation; inland transport constraints — Moderate
Netherlands — Rotterdam: 2 days; inland evacuation delays — Moderate
France — Le Havre: 1 day — Stable
Germany — Hamburg: 4 days; vessel bunching; inland logistics pressure — Moderate
Germany — Bremerhaven: 1 day — Stable

United Kingdom

UK — London Gateway: 1 day — Stable
UK — Felixstowe: delay figure not supplied; operations generally stable — Stable
UK — Southampton: delay figure not supplied; operations generally stable — Stable

Mediterranean

Italy — Genoa: 2 days — Moderate
Italy — La Spezia: 2 days — Moderate
Spain — Barcelona: 2 days — Moderate
Turkey — Istanbul: 3 days — Moderate
Turkey — Izmir: 3 days — Moderate

Asia Pacific (incl. Oceania)

Air Freight:

General: Going into peak season sees capacity constraints with higher freight rates

Sea Freight:

Post-typhoon congestion and post-Golden Week vessel bunching persist; blank sailings and equipment imbalances increase rollover risk, with Asia–South Africa capacity limited.

China

China — Hong Kong: 2 days — Moderate
China — Nansha / Guangzhou: 1 day — Stable
China — Ningbo: 3 days; high yard density; rollover risk from blank sailings — Moderate
China — Qingdao: 3 days — Moderate
China — Shanghai: 4 days; residual typhoon congestion; post-Golden Week vessel bunching — Moderate
China — Shekou / Shenzhen: 2 days; selected gate-in controls — Moderate
China — Xiamen: 3 days — Moderate
China — Tianjin / Xingang: 1 day — Stable
China — Dalian: 2 days — Moderate

South-East Asia

Singapore — Singapore: 3 days; elevated vessel queues — Moderate
Thailand — Bangkok (THBKK): 5 days — Disrupted
Thailand — Laem Chabang: 2 days — Moderate

North Asia

Korea — Busan (KRPUS): 2 days — Moderate
Korea — Busan (KRBNP): 2 days — Moderate
Taiwan — Kaohsiung: 2 days — Moderate
Taiwan — Keelung: 0 days — Stable

Trade News

South African road freight costs: October’s fuel increase is squeezing road-haulage margins and adding pressure for transport-rate adjustments. (Transport Torque, 8 October 2026).

October ocean capacity: Golden Week service cuts, India-origin connection risks and canal restrictions complicate available shipping capacity this month. (C.H. Robinson, 1 October 2026).

Durban recovery planning: A ministerial intervention seeks a structured terminal recovery plan covering backlogs, truck bookings, equipment and rail evacuation. (Africa Ports & Ships, 2 October 2026).

Luanda terminal expansion: DP World plans a US$90 million terminal expansion following a concession extension to 2051. (DP World, 6 October 2026).

Key Articles This Week

• Ocean Trade Summary — Issue 34/2026 (SACO, 9 October 2026)

• October fuel hike squeezes road freight margins (Transport Torque, 8 October 2026)

• October freight market outlook (C.H. Robinson, 1 October 2026)

• Durban Gateway Terminal recovery plan sought (Africa Ports & Ships, 2 October 2026)

• Luanda concession extended with new terminal investment (DP World, 6 October 2026)

And that’s it – as always, the Inter-Sped team is ready to jump for you!

Best Regards, Jennifer & The Inter-Sped Team

Fri | 9 October |2026

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