Good Day Clients & Partners,

Below is the latest Freight & Logistics Update.  As always, the Inter-Sped team are ready to go the extra mile for you – so don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.

SOUTH AFRICA    

Berthing delays experienced across all ports in South Africa have reduced compared to week 21. This is highlighted at Pier 2 in Durban which now shows delays experienced below two weeks. We do expect blank sailings, port omissions, rollovers, and changes to voyages being announced at short notice to continue despite the reduced delays noted.

DURBAN

The port has experienced low wind speeds during the week.

• Pier 1 : 8-9 days delay
• Pier 2 : 7-11 days delay
• Durban Point : 3 days delay

 

CAPE TOWN

The port has experienced strong wind speeds during the week.

• CTCT : 0-2 days delay
• MPT : 1-2 days delay

 

PORT ELIZABETH

The port has experienced low windy speeds during the week and strong wind speeds over the weekend.

• PECT : 0-2 days delay
• NCT : 0-2 days delay

 

ASIA PACIFIC (Including Oceania)    

Severe capacity constraints continue to be experienced along with erratic scheduling, high numbers of roll overs, blank sailings and delays out of Asia ports. This may lead to different transit times and schedules being achieved to what has been published.

HONG KONG

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.

 

KOREA

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Busan port.

 

MALAYSIA

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Port Kelang.

 

NANSHA

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.

 

QINGDAO

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at this port.

 

SHANGHAI / NINGBO

• Berthing delays of 2 day experienced at Ningbo port and 3 days at Shanghai port.

 

SHEKOU / YANTIAN

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Yantian and Shekou ports.

 

XIAMEN

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.

 

XINGANG

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port

 

SINGAPORE

Berthing delays of 3 days being experienced at this port. Delays experienced due to bunching of vessels and congestion experienced at the port. FCL containers transshipping in Singapore have expected delays of plus 3 weeks.

 

TAIWAN

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Kaohsiung port.

 

THAILAND

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Bangkok port.

 

VIETNAM

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh ports.

 

NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN    

Vessel schedule delays continue to impact the region. Amended port rotations and port omissions on the carrier services, as well as vessel changes, cascading / rolled schedules and blank sailings may result in amended LCL cargo loading schedules.

BELGIUM

• Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Antwerp port.

 

FRANCE

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Le Havre port. 4-hour long strikes on May 29-31 for all terminals in Le Havre. Current strike impact is minimal with only 4 hours of operational interruption allowing workarounds to the vessel program.

 

GERMANY

• Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Hamburg port and 2 days at Bremerhaven port. CTA: Terminal has 3 container stacks out of order since completion of construction is delayed due to strikes. Waiting times of up to 24h. CTB: vessel waiting times outside and high export dwell times of almost 10 days. Situation caused by introduction of new terminal operating system N4 which creates operational issues. Vessels must wait for a berth at CTB for up to 9 days. Terminal might resolve these issues with weekly rollout of IT patches.

 

ITALY

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Genova port and 4 days at La Spezia port.

 

NETHERLANDS

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Rotterdam port.

 

SPAIN

• Berthing delays of 6 days experienced at Barcelona port.

 

SWEDEN

• Berthing delays of 7 days experienced at Gothenburg port.

 

TURKEY

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Istanbul port.

 

UNITED KINGDOM

• Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at London Gateway port. Commissioning of recently delivered new Gantry cranes completed supporting LGPs operations with 3 new cranes.

 

INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT & MIDDLE EAST    

Capacity constraints are being experienced on services out of the Indian Sub-Continent. This may lead to different transit times being achieved compared to what has been published.

INDIA

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Nhava Sheva and Chennai ports.

 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Jebel Ali port.

 

AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS    

ANGOLA

• Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Luanda port.

 

GHANA

• Berthing delays of 6 days experienced at Tema port.

 

IVORY COAST

• Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Abidjan port.

 

KENYA

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Mombasa port.

 

MAURITIUS

• Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Port Louis.

 

MOZAMBIQUE

• Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Maputo port.

 

NAMIBIA

• Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Walvis Bay port.

 

NIGERIA

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Apapa port.

 

TANZANIA

• Increased berthing delays of 13 days experienced at Dar es Salaam port. Delays are due to vessels bunching and high levels of congestion.

 

NORTH AMERICA    

CANADA

Montreal

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at this port. Vessels are arriving in Montreal on proforma.

Toronto

• Increased berthing delays of 15 days experienced at this port.

Vancouver

• Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at this port. Negotiations between the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and both Canadian Class 1 railways have resulted with the assistance of federal mediators. Until a decision is rendered, there is minimal risk of a work stoppage.

 

USA

Terminals Updates:

• New York/New Jersey – Vessel waiting time is up to 3 days.
• Norfolk – Vessel waiting time is up to 3 days.
• Charleston – Vessel waiting time is up to 5 days. Continue to experience delays due to toe wall construction, Cargo spill on Week 20, and port system outage. On May 29, the South Carolina Port Authority had 14 ships at anchor up to 10 days waiting time at Wando Welch Terminal and 2 days at North Charleston Terminal. In response to the congestion, 14 ships are omitting and 11 calling the North Charleston Terminal. The South Carolina Port Authority expects the waiting time to dwindle down to 2-3 days over the next two to three weeks.
• Savannah – Vessel waiting time is up to 4 days. Effective July 7, 2024, Georgia Ports will begin locking vessels expected to be at berth and working July 15, 2024.
• Miami/Port Everglades – Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days.
• Houston – Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days.
• Los Angeles/Long Beach – Vessel waiting time is up to 1 day.
• Seattle – Vessel waiting time is up to 3 days. Terminal 18 will be closed on June 7, 2024. Husky will have a Saturday gate on June 1, 2024.
• Oakland – Vessel waiting time is up to 1 day. Port of Oakland has started the bollard and fender replacement project at OICT, starting with Berth 55 through Berth 59. Project is expected to last into Q1 of 2025.

 

LATIN AMERICA    

BRAZIL

• Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Santos port.

 

NEWS ARTICLES    

Baltimore Channel opening delayed:

28/05/2024

Despite the ability for some boat traffic since the Baltimore bridge collapse in May, the removal of a large piece of debris is blocking the full reopening of the navigation channel. While the container ship that caused the collapse is gone, a section of bridge is stuck underwater, requiring complex cutting and hauling by the US Army Corps of Engineers to fully clear the waterway. This is expected to take until June 8th to 10th. Source

 

New FMC rules on detention and demurrage come into force:

29/05/2024

New US shipping rules aim to clear up confusion over detention and demurrage fees, which are charges for delays in picking up cargo. Invoices must now be clear and sent to the right person, either the cargo receiver or the person who arranged shipping. Both sides get 30 days to challenge fees, and invoices must include specific details to be valid. This should help avoid unnecessary charges and smooth out the flow of goods. Source

 

Panama Canal Increases Maximum Draft Ahead of Schedule:

30/05/2024

The Panama Canal is easing restrictions due to heavier than expected rain. Larger ships can now pass through the canal (up to 45 feet deep) and more ships are allowed to transit each day (32 total). This comes after a year of limitations caused by a drought. Source

 

Port operations in Bangladesh and India suspended as Cyclone Remal hits:

28/05/2024

Cyclone Remal caused major port closures and delays in Bangladesh and India. Chittagong port, a key hub, was shut for over 2 days and is facing a backlog of thousands of containers that could take weeks to clear, potentially impacting deliveries until mid-June. Other ports in the region also experienced disruptions, adding to the congestion. Source

 

Indian shippers and retailers suffer in a wave of supply chain disruption:

30/05/2024

Manufacturers in India are having trouble getting supplies from Asia due to a shortage of shipping containers and rising costs. This is slowing down production and exports. Even though India is trying to become a bigger player in manufacturing, many raw materials still come from China, so these disruptions are causing problems. In the long run, some experts believe India could benefit from companies looking for places to make things besides China. Source

 

Singapore congestion continues to ripple across global shipping:

28/05/2024

Singapore, a major shipping hub, is experiencing a massive traffic jam of cargo ships. This is because more ships are being rerouted there and fewer empty containers are available. The wait times to unload are up to a week, causing delays and pushing up shipping costs worldwide. This situation is expected to get worse in June. Source

 

Port congestion returns to haunt the container markets:

28/05/2024

A shortage of empty shipping containers and crowded ports, especially in Singapore, are causing big delays and driving up shipping costs. This is because more ships are stuck waiting to unload, taking containers out of circulation and creating a backlog. Some ports are so jammed that shipping companies are skipping them altogether, making the problem even worse. Experts say things are likely to get even more congested in June. Source

 

Shippers should expect more Asia-Europe blanked sailings as rates rise:

29/05/2024

There was a big jump in demand for shipping containers from Asia to North Europe in April. Shipping companies didn’t have enough space for everything, so they cancelled some sailings. This caused delays and drove up prices. In May, things got a little better as companies added some capacity, but there could still be changes and cancellations in the coming months. Source

 

Big shifts in carrier reliability performance:

31/05/2024

Ships are arriving much later than expected these days, with on-time deliveries down over 12% compared to last year. This is a big change from the past, when shipping was more reliable. Even the most dependable companies are struggling to meet schedules, although the wait times themselves are getting slightly shorter. The reasons for this disruption aren’t entirely clear, but it’s a major headache for businesses that rely on timely shipments. Source

 

Spot rates soar as Red Sea crisis continues:

31/05/2024

Shipping prices are about to hit a new all-time high, even higher than during the worst of the pandemic. This is due to a number of reasons including port congestion, businesses rushing to get holiday goods shipped early, and the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea. These issues are causing delays and pushing shipping companies to prioritize cargo from customers willing to pay the most. This means businesses that locked in lower rates in contracts might be stuck waiting while more expensive cargo gets shipped first. Source

 

SOURCES & REFERENCES     

SACO CFR | Hapag Lloyd | Maersk | MSC | Transnet | The LoadStar Publications | gCaptain.com | Shipco Transport | Splash247.com | Freightnews | Hellenic Shipping News | Seatrade Maritime News | JAS Newsflash

We continue to monitor the freight world developments closely and will be in contact with you directly for updates relevant to you on an individual shipment level.

 

Best Regards

Jon-Jon van Zyl (Director)