Good Day Clients & Partners,
Please find below our newsletter with the latest freight & logistics updates for the week. As always, the Inter-Sped team are ready to go the extra mile for you – so don’t hesitate to contact us.
SOUTH AFRICA
Air Freight
With peak season in full swing, demand for freight capacity ex South Africa (ZA) has risen, exerting upward pressure on freight rates. However operationally, no major delays have been encountered.
Sea Freight
Durban Port
Strong winds and inclement weather have had some impact on terminal performance; with strong wind gust on 31st October and 3rd November in particular, resulting in terminal going wind-bound for during the course of the days affected. No backlogs.
- Pier 1: 2 – 3 days waiting time
- Pier 2 (DCT): 0 – 3 days waiting time
- Point: 0 – 2 days’ waiting time
Cape Town Port
Seasonal moderate to strong winds and high swells may impact operations at the terminals, resulting in intermittent stoppages. No backlogs.
- CTCT: 0 – 3 days waiting time
- MPT: 0 – 1 day waiting time
Port Elizabeth
Port operations remain smooth. Intermittent strong winds and high swells expected for the 7th and 8th November. No backlogs.
- PECT: 0 – 1 day waiting time
- NCT: 0 – 1 day waiting time
AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS
Air Freight
Ethiopian Airline has a backlog ex ADD into All destinations, +/- 7 days.
Sea Freight
Recent political unrest in Tanzania and subsequent closing of Dar Es Salaam port is expected to have a “knock-on” effect on vessel schedules for the East African trade out of Durban. Schedules are erratic and we do anticipate that we may experience further schedule amendments, blanked sailings and extended transit times may be experienced.
Tanzania – Dar Es Salaam: Curfew lifted and life slowly returning to normal after the protests due to election. Tanzania waives storage charges to speed up movement of cargo however there is a backlog of cargo at Port – expect delays. Berthing delays of 5 – 8 days experienced at Dar es Salaam ports. Dar Es Salaam port was closed on 30th October and reopened on 4th November 2025.
Kenya – Berthing delays of 5 – 10 days experienced at Mombasa port. Terminal is facing long-term congestion, slow productivity due to equipment shortages and high transshipment volumes. Berth delays are also due to vessel bunching arriving off-window.
East Africa services are subject to erratic carrier schedules. Vessels delayed on rotational route do create a snowball effect and as a result delays and vessel changes may be expected. This may also impact transit times.
Reunion – Port Reunion seeing 4 – 5 days waiting time, with some operational challenges being experienced. Transshipments ex Port Louis have been delayed due to carriers’ erratic schedules on the direct services. Alternate sailings are via outlying transshipment hubs, with resultant extended transit times. Cargo may be delayed in Port Louis for loading on next available “direct” sailing.
West Africa
NAMIBIA
- 4 days waiting time at Walvis Bay.
- Intermittent wind gusts expected for the rest of the week.
ANGOLA
- Berthing delays of up to 2 days experienced at Luanda port.
GHANA
- Berthing delay of 2 – 3 days experienced at Tema port.
- Terminal is facing power supply issues. The terminal is powered by generators and therefore number reduced number of cranes can be operated.
NIGERIA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Apapa and 2 days at Tincan.
- SACO containers are handled from Apapa.
IVORY COAST
- Berthing delay of 1 – 2 days experienced at Abidjan port.
- Severe Yard congestion causing slow operations and subsequently berth delays.
Indian Ocean Islands
MAURITIUS
- Berthing delays of up to 0 – 4 days experienced at Port Louis due to adverse weather conditions and operational challenges in the terminal.
REUNION
- Port Reunion seeing 4 – 5 days waiting time, with some operational challenges being experienced. Transshipments ex Port Louis have been delayed due to carriers’ erratic schedules on the direct services. Alternate sailings are via outlying transshipment hubs, with resultant extended transit times. Cargo may be delayed in Port Louis for loading on next available “direct” sailing.
MADAGASCAR
- Toamasina (Tamatave) has 0 days berthing delays.
East Africa
Recent political unrest in Tanzania and subsequent closing of Dar Es Salaam port is expected to have a “knock-on” effect on vessel schedules for the East African trade out of Durban. Schedules are erratic and we do anticipate that we may experience further schedule amendments, blanked sailings and extended transit times may be experienced.
MOZAMBIQUE
- Maputo currently reflecting 0 – 2 days and Beira reflecting 15 days vessel waiting time.
- Inclement weather with strong wind gusts and rain is expected over the next week.
KENYA
- Berthing delays of 5 – 10 days experienced at Mombasa port.
- Terminal is facing long-term congestion, slow productivity due to equipment shortages and high transshipment volumes. Berth delays are also due to vessel bunching arriving off-window.
TANZANIA
- Berthing delays of 5 – 8 days experienced at Dar es Salaam ports.
- Dar Es Salaam port was closed on 30th October and reopened on 4th November 2025.
NORTH AMERICA
Air Freight
All operations running smoothly with no mentionable delays.
Sea Freight
USA – Effective 27th September 2025 – US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin automatically rejecting manifest filings that do not include sufficient:
– Cargo description – clear, accurate and specific. Must be in line with HS codes.
– Consignee Information – full name and address of consignee
– Shipper information – full company name and address of the foreign party initiating the shipments. Shipments arriving at the US Border without complete and accurate information may be held by CBP until corrections are made and approved. This may result in delays and additional costs being applied.
CANADA
Services ex Canada into South Africa are routed over Rotterdam hub (SACO and WWA LCL).
Alternate string is available with routing over New York – should alternate routing be required, this must be advised at time of shipment booking, by the booking party.
Montreal
- Berthing delay of 3 days experienced at this port.
- Improved rail car supply.
Vancouver
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port.
- Strong productivity and consistent rail cargo supply has seen improved and stable import dwell times.
USA
Terminals Updates:
NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY
- Average vessel waiting time in New York terminals is at 3 days.
- APMT – All cranes on the East berth are now operational. There are 5 cranes on South berth, one of those will be out of service until the end of November.
SAVANNAH
- Average vessel waiting time for Savanah terminals is 3 days.
- SACO / Shipco containers sealed ex Atlanta load out Savannah terminals.
LOS ANGELES/ LONG BEACH
- Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days for Los Angeles and 3 days for Long Beach.
SOUTH AMERICA
Air Freight
All operations running smoothly with no mentionable delays.
Sea Freight
ARGENTINA – Buenos Aires
- Berthing delays of 5 days.
- SACO LCL services move over Hamburg.
BRAZIL – Santos / Paranagua
- Berthing delay of 3 days experienced at Santos port and 3 days out of Paranagua.
- New vessel rotation effective from 1 November; with containers for SA no longer loaded out of Santos port. SACO containers will continue to be loaded at Santos CFS and containers will be trucked to Paranagua terminals for loading onto vessels.
- Paranagua terminal (TCP) is congested, but working normally.
MEXICO
Altimera
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Altamira port.
Veracruz
- Berthing delays of 5 days.
Manzanillo
- Berthing delays of 2 days.
NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN.
Air Freight
All operations running smoothly with no mentionable delays.
Sea Freight
BELGIUM
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Antwerp port.
- Yard utilisation remains high, but stable PSA has gate opening times to 6 days prior to vessel ETA, while AGW sees opening times at 5 days prior to vessel ETA.
FRANCE
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Le Havre port.
GERMANY
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Hamburg and 1 day at Bremerhaven.
ITALY
- Terminals are congested with berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Genova and 3 days at La Spezia port.
NETHERLANDS
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Rotterdam port.
- Generally, yard utilization is high, but stable.
- Refer to SACO notice dated 5th November – Battery Handling Fee has been implemented in Rotterdam effective 1 November 2025. Initially published at US$150 per shipment; as at 6th November, this fee has been amended to $75 per shipment.
SPAIN
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Barcelona port.
TURKEY
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Istanbul port and 2 days at Izmir port.
UNITED KINGDOM
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at London Gateway port.
MIDDLE EAST AND INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT
Air Freight
All operations running smoothly with no mentionable delays.
Sea Freight
INDIA
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Nhava Sheva and 1 day at Chennai.
- Weather may impact operations in terminals.
SRI LANKA
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Colombo port.
- Terminal services impacted by high yard density, high transshipment levels and bad weather conditions.
- FCL containers transhipping in Colombo may experience delays.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Jebel Ali.
- Operational delays due to crane breakdowns affecting productivity.
ASIA PACIFIC (Including Oceania)
Air Freight
All operations running smoothly with no mentionable delays.
Sea Freight
Carriers have advised that they anticipate vessel capacity opening up in week 46. While we are still seeing some delays out of major ports and also delays / unscheduled container transshipments through Singapore; this should start to clear in the second half of November; as per carrier sources.
HONG KONG
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.
NANSHA / GUANGZHOU
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at this port.
- On 26th October 2025 a bulk carrier sank in the Pearl River Estuary following a collision with a container ship. 13 crew members were rescued, with 2 crew members declared as missing. The Guangzhou authorities temporarily suspended vessel traffic in the area. As at 6th November, Shipco Guangzhou anticipate that terminals should be back to normal operations next week, after the accident which resulted in vessel traffic being suspended in the region. Due to backlog of vessels, they do anticipate seeing a vessel scheduling delay of 3 to 5 days.
NINGBO
- Berthing delay of 3 days experienced at this port.
QINGDAO
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port. Vessel bunching and congestion being experienced.
SHANGHAI
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at this port. Heavy vessel bunching and congestion being experienced.
SHEKOU / SHENZHEN
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Shekou and 1 day at Yantian ports.
- Due to tightening Customs controls in Shenzhen; containers are being detained by Chinese Customs for inspections. Containers are moved to General Administration Custom for inspection, and this may take 1 to 2 weeks for the inspection and release of the container. Every effort is made to ensure full Customs compliance and to have containers released as soon as possible.
XIAMEN
- Berthing delays of 0 days experienced at this port.
XINGANG / TIANJIN
- Berthing delay of 0 days experienced at this port.
SINGAPORE
- Berthing delays of 1 day being experienced at this port. Increase in vessel bunching is expected over the weekend and week to come. Container transshipment delays may be experienced. With vessel capacity constraints; carriers may perform unscheduled container transshipments in Singapore in order to clear backlog.
KOREA
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Busan port. Mega vessel bunching is creating some congestion at PNIT Terminal.
TAIWAN
- Berthing delay of 2 days experienced at Kaohsiung and 1 day at Keelung ports.
THAILAND
- Berthing delay of 2 days experienced at Bangkok and 1 day at Laem Chabang ports
NEWS ARTICLES
Dar es Salaam Port Reopens After Election Unrest Halts Operations
05/11/2025
The Port of Dar es Salaam has begun restoring operations following a three-day shutdown prompted by post-election violence in Tanzania. Demonstrations over alleged electoral irregularities led to clashes with security forces, an internet blackout, and a nationwide curfew, forcing the Tanzania Ports Authority to suspend all vessel movements and cargo handling from 30–31 October. According to Inchcape Shipping Services, limited port activity resumed on 1 November, with more substantial recovery starting on 4 November under tightened security conditions.
The shutdown caused significant regional disruption, with several vessels diverted to Mombasa and a resulting spike in congestion. Argus Media reported growing backlogs in sulphur and fertiliser imports at Dar es Salaam, alongside continued inland transport challenges linked to curfews, fuel shortages, and infrastructure constraints. While operations are stabilising, queue-to-berth ratios remain high, and freight forwarders warn of delays, slow backlog clearance, and possible surcharges. The incident highlights the vulnerability of supply chains serving landlocked markets dependent on Dar es Salaam and the need for contingency routing and closer risk monitoring during political transitions in East Africa. Source
South Africa Targets Stronger Export Growth into Southeast Asia
04/11/2025
South Africa is intensifying efforts to diversify its trade relationships, with President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighting Southeast Asia as a key growth region during recent visits to Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. The engagements focused on expanding agricultural exports such as beef, soybeans, and fruit, while addressing regulatory barriers that limit broader market access. With all three nations advancing rapidly in manufacturing, South Africa also aims to strengthen mineral supply partnerships and increase local value-addition before exporting.
The President noted strong investor interest from Southeast Asian companies, several of which are considering or expanding manufacturing operations in South Africa to serve both domestic and regional markets. Investors cited South Africa’s infrastructure, financial systems, and position within the African Continental Free Trade Area as compelling advantages.
Beyond trade, the visits underscored shared foreign policy priorities, including support for multilateralism, UN reform, and cooperation across the Global South. These common positions were reinforced during South Africa’s participation in the ASEAN Summit, where themes aligned closely with the country’s G20 agenda. President Ramaphosa emphasised that growing historical and strategic ties position South Africa and Southeast Asia for deeper long-term economic collaboration. Source
First Alliance Service Tentatively Reenters Red Sea Amid Fragile Ceasefire
30/10/2025
CMA CGM has become the first alliance carrier to schedule containerships back through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, following a tentative Israel–Hamas ceasefire that has introduced cautious optimism to the maritime sector. The move marks the first alliance-operated return since late 2023, when Houthi attacks—now exceeding 100 incidents—forced carriers to divert around the Cape of Good Hope. CMA CGM’s decision is viewed as exploratory and may be supported by French naval escorts, while most lines continue to avoid the region. Industry analysts note that any broader resumption of Suez transits will depend heavily on insurance risk assessments.
Despite this limited reopening, analysts do not expect widespread container traffic to return to the Suez route in 2026, citing ongoing instability and renewed clashes that occurred as recently as 28 October. Egyptian authorities have begun preparing for the eventual restoration of normal canal operations, but the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain, keeping global shipping routes in a state of elevated caution. Source
Somali Piracy Escalates with Deepwater Tanker Boarding
06/11/2025
A Malta-flagged products tanker, the Hellas Aphrodite, was boarded by armed pirates early Thursday in a deepwater attack approximately 549 nautical miles east-southeast of Hobyo, Somalia—well beyond the traditional high-risk zone. Maritime security firms reported that the assault originated from a skiff launched by a suspected Iranian-flagged mothership, the Issamohahmdi, itself recently hijacked and linked to multiple prior incidents. The tanker, sailing from Sikka to Durban without an armed security team, came under fire before being boarded, prompting a nearby vessel to divert.
This incident follows an attack three days earlier on the Stolt Sagaland, a chemical tanker whose onboard security repelled four armed assailants southeast of Mogadishu. The EU NAVFOR Atalanta mission has since elevated the regional threat level, warning that an active pirate action group is operating from the hijacked Issamohahmdi in the central Indian Ocean.
Security providers are urging vessels to maintain maximum vigilance and adhere strictly to BMP5 protocols amid what they describe as a realistic risk of further attacks. The boarding of the Hellas Aphrodite signals a concerning resurgence of Somali piracy, with incidents now occurring hundreds of miles offshore after several relatively quiet years. Source
Global Liner Orderbook Expands Despite Overcapacity Concerns
05/11/2025
The global container shipping orderbook continues to grow as MSC reaches a new capacity milestone and Maersk pursues additional large-vessel orders, despite mounting warnings of structural overcapacity. MSC surpassed 7 million TEU in fleet capacity after taking delivery of the MSC Salerno and MSC Grace, marking 68 vessel additions in just over a year and bringing its global market share to 21%. Meanwhile, Maersk is reportedly preparing to order eight 18,000-TEU LNG dual-fuel vessels from New Times Shipyard, with options for four more, for delivery between 2028 and 2029.
Industry analysts note that these orders will add to an already record-level orderbook and could exacerbate the expected capacity glut projected to peak in 2027. Sea-Intelligence warns that oversupply may mirror 2016 conditions, when excessive capacity triggered a severe pricing war. Maersk alone is due to receive 26 LNG dual-fuel newbuilds over the next four years, further intensifying fleet growth.
Market outlook remains mixed: S&P Global describes 2026 as a year of “persistent overcapacity and fragile demand,” with low U.S. volumes and excess tonnage likely to pressure freight rates. However, Moody’s notes that multiple years of predicted overcapacity have not yet fully materialised, adding uncertainty to how quickly the imbalance will hit. A full return to the Suez Canal routing, analysts caution, could accelerate the market downturn. Source
US and China Implement One-Year Suspension of Port Call Fees
31/10/2025
The United States and China have agreed to suspend their respective port call fees for one year following presidential-level discussions in South Korea on 30 October. The pause covers the U.S. Section 301 port fees and China’s reciprocal charges introduced on 14 October, which had already prompted carriers to adjust vessel deployments and service rotations. The move also halts the planned imposition of a 100% U.S. tariff on Chinese imports that was scheduled for 1 November, with the U.S. instead announcing a 10% tariff reduction on Chinese goods, lowering the rate to 47%.
Industry analysts, including Vespucci Maritime CEO Lars Jensen, view the suspension as a short-term easing of tensions rather than a durable resolution. Jensen noted that carriers are likely to maintain their revised network plans and keep contingency vessel-reshuffling strategies in place, given the temporary nature of the agreement and continued uncertainty over long-term trade policy. He added that while the measures signal limited de-escalation, they do not provide meaningful clarity for future trade conditions.
In parallel, China is accelerating efforts to deepen regional economic integration. On 28 October, ASEAN and China signed an expanded version of their free trade agreement, CAFTA 3.0, enhancing cooperation in areas such as digital trade, green economy, and supply chain connectivity. China’s Ministry of Commerce said the upgraded agreement will support regional trade stability and help transition the region away from reliance on low-end manufacturing toward higher-value economic development. Source
Carriers Warned of Prolonged Overcapacity and Multi-Year Rate Decline
06/11/2025
Global container carriers are being advised to prepare for a prolonged period of overcapacity and depressed freight rates, with new analysis suggesting market imbalance may persist until 2030. According to research cited by The Loadstar, unusually low levels of vessel scrapping—combined with record newbuilding deliveries—are driving a new down-cycle following the post-Covid surge and the temporary boost from Cape of Good Hope diversions. Key indices reflect the deterioration: in Q3, the SCFI and CCFI averaged just above 1,000 points, with freight rates down 52% and 40% year on year, respectively.
Route-specific declines underline the scale of the challenge. Shanghai–North Europe rates fell from a 2024 average of $1,680 per teu to $971 by late September, while Shanghai–US West Coast rates dropped from $1,948 to $1,468 per 40ft. The Shanghai–US East Coast lane also weakened significantly, declining from $3,133 to $2,452 per 40ft. Analysts warn that the industry’s growing fleet of large, young vessels—particularly those above 12,000 teu—cannot easily be removed from service, limiting carriers’ ability to correct supply. Dynamar estimates that up to nine million teu of capacity would need to be scrapped to restore equilibrium, yet not a single ship above 12,000 teu has been demolished to date.
Compounding these pressures, experts caution that a return to Suez Canal transits—should the Red Sea crisis ease—could worsen the oversupply situation dramatically. Export-Import Bank of Korea researcher Yang Jong-seo recommends that carriers act pre-emptively through alliance-wide capacity management and service diversification to limit further rate deterioration. Without decisive intervention, analysts anticipate that transatlantic and other major tradelanes may face further structural weakness in the years ahead. Source
Weather and Political Unrest Intensify Cargo Disruptions Across East African Ports
04/11/2025
Severe weather in Mozambique is exacerbating supply chain pressures across East Africa as political turmoil in Tanzania and congestion in Kenya strain regional logistics. CMA CGM has announced a $200 per-teu port congestion surcharge for Beira, effective 15 November, citing prolonged weather-related delays. Local freight sources report vessel holdups of more than two weeks, adding further stress to an already fragile regional network.
In Tanzania, the post-election unrest and the resulting curfew have disrupted operations at the Port of Dar es Salaam, which has reportedly been rejecting vessel calls since Friday. Despite government messaging about resuming public services, fuel shortages and inconsistent guidance on curfew rules continue to hinder inland transport and port activity. MarineTraffic data shows a rapidly growing vessel backlog, with up to 29 container ships attempting to call at the port over the coming days.
With Dar es Salaam effectively shut, vessels are diverting to Mombasa, intensifying congestion at Kenya’s main port. The Shippers Council of East Africa warns that Mombasa was already handling excess volumes and expects further delays as rerouted cargo accumulates. Freight operators across the region are urged to monitor carrier advisories closely, with expectations of extended dwell times and mounting operational constraints. Source
SOURCES & REFERENCES
SACO CFR | Hapag Lloyd | Maersk | MSC | Transnet | The LoadStar Publications | gCaptain.com | Shipco Transport | Splash247.com | Freightnews | Seatrade Maritime News | Automotive Logistics | Lloyds List
Again, the Inter-Sped team is here for all freight and Logistics needs – We will always do our best for you and keep you posted on your shipments progress on an individual shipment level.
Thank you for choosing Inter-Sped.
JJ & The Inter-Sped Team
