Good Day Clients & Partners,
Please find below the Freight & Logistics Update 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
There is a possibility that due to geopolitical risks internationally, we could foresee a fluctuation in freight rates in the upcoming months.
Air Freight
Globally: Air cargo volumes are predicted to rise by 5.8% year on year (IATA) , supported by e-commerce and Red Sea-related demand.
Imports: All services running smoothly.
Exports:
- Services ex ZA are all running smoothly, no major delays experienced this week, rates remain stable.
- British Airways has a backlog out of JNB- most shipments are trucked to Cape Town for departure, +/- 5 day in advance booking required.
Sea Freight
Imports:
- South African Ports continue to face congestions and delays primarily due to severe shortage of equipment and weather conditions.
- Port Operations were plagued by unfavourable weather.
- Cape Town has also been identified as one of the ports most affected by climate change.
- Container bookings are still a huge problem. Transporters continue to voice frustrations over persistent inefficiencies in the booking process.
Exports:
- Minimal vessel departure delays experienced at Durban Port.
- Services running much smoother than previous quarter.
- Cape Town’s windy weather conditions are affecting vessel departure / stack dates.
- Please note, that all local export surcharges (annual tariff increase) and transportation costs are set to increase as of the 01st of April 2025
Road Freight
Local: Services in full swing and running smoothly.
Exports:
- Services running smoothly with borders operating as normal.
- DRC Remains open as unrest hasn’t yet effected the southern regions serviced via road, though we remain in communication with our road freight teams servicing the area as the situation progresses. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnvz5g420mdo
Port Updates
DURBAN
The port has experienced windy weather during the week. Appointment slots are constrained due to high volume of containers moving through Durban terminals. All IDMs continue to move as scheduled.
- Pier 1 : 0-2 days delay
- Pier 2 : 0 days delay
- Durban Point : 3 days delay
CAPE TOWN
The port has experienced strong winds during the week. The port is still experiencing intermittent
Southeasterly winds. Normal volumes of traffic and operations continue as per normal. IDMs are moving as scheduled.
- CTCT : 8-10 days with intermittent wind experienced.
- MPT : 3 days with intermittent wind experienced.
PORT ELIZABETH
The port has experienced windy weather during the week. Normal volumes of traffic and operations continue as per normal. IDMs are moving as scheduled.
- PECT : 0 days delay
- NCT : 0-1 days delay
AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS
East African ports continue to experience congestion. Export scheduling to the region is erratic at present resulting in multiple changes to published schedules. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates accordingly.
Air Freight
Imports: All services running smoothly.
Exports: All services running smoothly.
- Air France is no longer servicing: Ougadougou, Burkina Faso, Bamako Mali, N’djamena, Niamey. Cargo into Senegal on Ethiopian Airline has a +/- 2 week in advance booking due to capacity ex ADD-DSS.
- Kenya Airways are experiencing major delays connecting via NBO, due to reduced capacity ex NBO – JNB Airport, expect a 7–10-day delay on these flights. Currently there is a backlog of roughly 20tons of cargo, with perishable cargo and AOG cargo taking preference for space.
- Ethiopian airlines has a huge backlog ex Addis Ababa to DSS and BKO +/- 1 week delay due to passenger baggage.
Cross Trade:
- Routes from Nacala / Pemba have been washed away
- We have been advised by some sources that Pemba is currently unreachable.
- We continue to monitor the situation and will keep you updated.
Sea Freight
Imports: Port congestions continue & erratic sailing schedule.
Exports:
- Port Louis – Cyclone Garance has struck Mauritius forcing the closure of Port Louis.
- Majority Indian Ocean Island , Australia and New Zealand cargo will be routed via Hambantota, Sri Lanka, there after proceeding to Port Louis by Mid-March. Please expect vessel delays.
Road Freight
- Local freight operating as normal – some minor delays have been experienced due to local heavy rains in Johannesburg.
- Road freight exports operating as normal. Borders to Botswana have mostly normalised after previous floodings at the Groblersbrug Border Post.
Port Updates
ANGOLA
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Luanda port.
GHANA
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Tema port.
IVORY COAST
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Abidjan port.
KENYA
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Mombasa port.
MAURITIUS
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Port Louis. Cyclone Garence is no longer a risk
MOZAMBIQUE
- No berthing delays experienced at Maputo port.
NAMIBIA
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Walvis Bay port.
NIGERIA
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Apapa port. High levels of congestion continue to be experienced leading to long queues for offloading and collecting containers. Please expect a potential disruption to delivery schedules.
SENEGAL
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Dakar port.
TANZANIA
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Dar es Salaam port.
NORTH AMERICA
Air Freight
Imports: All services running smoothly with minor delays during transhipment.
Exports: All services running smoothly. Rates are stable.
Sea Freight
Imports: Port congestions continue as a result of the strikes & erratic sailing schedule.
Exports: Services are running smoothly with minimal delays.
Port Updates
CANADA
MONTREAL
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.
TORONTO
- Berthing delays of 12 days experienced at this port.
VANCOUVER
- Berthing delays of 10 days experienced at this port.
USA
Carrier schedules are erratic, and vessel schedule amendments are occurring frequently, as well as amendments to vessel rotations. We are also seeing last minute changes to terminal stack dates and therefore there we may be amendments to vessel details as booked and/or delays experienced.
Terminals Updates:
- NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY – Vessel waiting time is up to 3 days. New cranes have arrived at APMT and are currently being assembled and commissioned. APMT New York is facing high demand for gate appointments and may not be able to accommodate all requests, especially on the cut-off day.
- NORFOLK– Vessel waiting time is up to 4 days.
- CHARLESTON – Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days. Substantial completion of the toe wall project has been reached and only one minor punch list item remains. Berth deepening will begin in midMarch bringing berths 1 and 2 down to the new 54’ project depth as part of the toe wall project. Until dredging begins around the second week of March, all three berths will be fully operational. The dredging will take about two weeks, with some minor schedule disruptions expected. Normal operations are expected to resume by late March.
- SAVANNAH – Vessel waiting time is up to 6 days.
- MIAMI – Vessel waiting time is up to 3 days.
- HOUSTON – Vessel waiting time is up to 4 days.
- OAKLAND – Vessel waiting time is up to 4 days. The Port of Oakland bollard and fender replacement project at OICT is now complete.
- LOS ANGELES/ LONG BEACH – Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days.
- SEATTLE – Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days.
Vessel Scheduling Amendments (information below is correct at time of weekly Trade Summary publication):
- MSC Meltemi III – vessel will be phasing out of the AMEX service and will be replaced by the
- MSC Express III. Phase out approach; CPT imports will discharge in PLZ and load on the first available vessel to CPT.
- MSC Express III – with voyage 510N will omit Port Elizabeth. All PLZ exports will be transferred to the AS Stine with voyage 511N.
LATIN AMERICA
Air Freight
Imports: All services running smoothly.
Exports: All services running smoothly.
Sea Freight
Imports: Vessel Scheduling Amendments (NB to note that these schedule amendments will impact both inbound and outbound cargo and container movements). Scheduling changes are announced by carriers with short notice.
Exports: All services running relatively smoothly.
Port Updates
ARGENTINA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Buenos Aires port.
BRAZIL
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Santos port. Brasil terminal continues to work with 2 piers.
MEXICO
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Altamira and Veracruz ports, and 3 days at Manzanillo port.
NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN
Strikes in Italy
- Scheduled from 16 to 19 March
- Impact to air and rail cargo and delays anticipated
Strikes in France
- Operation « dead port » 18 March
- 72 hours of work stoppage 18-19-20 March
- 4 hours of work stoppage 24-26-28 March
- Having started in January, this strike is strongly impacting maritim activity. Many vessels are delayed, creating congestion to the French ports (extending to Antwerp and Rotterdam too). These impacts generate additionnal costs (detention and demurrage).
Air Freight
Imports: Services running smoothly.
Exports: All services running smoothly. No major delays experienced this week, rates remain stable.
Sea Freight
Imports:
- Vessel schedule delays continue to impact the region & extreme weather conditions delaying port operations.
- Ongoing strikes in Le Harve are expected to cause significant port operation delays.
Exports: Terminal delays experienced with exports into France. Considering the port strikes, the situation will continue to be closely monitored.
English Channel: Extreme Weather conditions continue in the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay, severely impacing vessel movement and port operations and might cause delays to South Africa bound vessels and vessels sailing North to Rotterdam/London. We will keep you informed if there are any significant deviations to the schedules.
Port Updates
BELGIUM
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Antwerp port.
FRANCE
- Berthing delays of 7 days experienced at Le Havre port. Strike actions continue for all French ports including Le Havre with 4 hours of stoppages on 2 or 3 days per week (this week 24 + 28/02). Additionally, 48 hours 26 + 27/02. For WK10 another 4 hours announced for 04 + 06/03.
GERMANY
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Hamburg port and 1 day at Bremerhaven port.
ITALY
- Berthing delays of 6 days experienced at Genova port and 8 days at La Spezia port.
NETHERLANDS
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Rotterdam port. Delta II: Collective labour agreement under dispute between terminal operator and union. Union with strike actions and slow down operations for an unknown duration. Consequently, impact to operations cannot be ruled out however, vessels are still being handled.
SPAIN
- Berthing delay of 1 days experienced at Barcelona port. FCL containers transshipping in Algeciras have expected delays of 1-2 weeks due to port congestion.
SWEDEN
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Gothenburg port.
TURKEY
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Istanbul port.
UNITED KINGDOM
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at London Gateway port.
Vessel Scheduling Amendments (information below is correct at time of weekly publication):
- Santa Teresa – with voyage 245N will complete a split call at Rotterdam. Some units will discharge at Euromax Terminal while the rest will discharge at Rotterdam Delta Terminal.
- ONE Responsibility – vessel will call Port Elizabeth after Durban and will sail directly to Europe thereafter.
INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT & MIDDLE EAST
There is still a risk of the continuation of the Red Sea crisis much further into 2025.
Air Freight
Imports:
- Services are running smoothly.
- In the Middle East however, airlines have suspended services to and from some countries/territories.
Exports: All services running smoothly. Rates are stable. No major delays experienced this week.
Sea Freight
Imports: All services running smoothly.
Exports: All services running relatively smoothly.
Port Updates
INDIA
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Chennai and Nhava Sheva ports.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Jebel Ali port.
SRI LANKA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Colombo port. FCL containers transshipping in Colombo have expected delays of 2-3 weeks.
ASIA PACIFIC (Including Oceania)
Exports: All services running smoothly.
Sea Freight
Imports:
- Singapore is still facing congestion due to space constraint caused by vessel delays from S.A. and Far East ports from various shipping lines, please factor in a +/- 2-week delay.
- Space constraints are anticipated after the Chinese New Year with blank sailings from week 6.Ports are currently facing congestions. The worse affected Ports includes Shanghai, Tokyo, Ningbo, Busan & Manila, although the lengths of delays varies by container line.
Exports:
- Tropical Cyclone Alfred made its way between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast last week.
- As a precaution, Brisbane Ports and Brisbane CFS Depots were closed.
- The timeline for reopening will depend on the cyclone’s impact.
Port Updates
HONG KONG
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.
KOREA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Busan port. Vessel bunching experienced.
MALAYSIA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Port Kelang. FCL containers transshipping in Tanjung Pelepas have expected delays of 1-2 weeks.
NANSHA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port.
NINGBO
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port. Vessel bunching experienced.
QINGDAO
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at this port. Vessel bunching experienced.
SHANGHAI
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at this port. Vessel bunching experienced.
SHEKOU / YANTIAN
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Shekou port and no delays at Yantian port.
XIAMEN
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port.
XINGANG
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at this port
SINGAPORE
- Berthing delay of 1 day being experienced at this port. FCL containers transshipping in Singapore have expected delays of 1-2 weeks.
TAIWAN
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Kaohsiung port.
THAILAND
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Bangkok port.
VIETNAM
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Ho Chi Minh and Hai Phong ports.
NEWS ARTICLES
SA logistics at a critical juncture – Saaff CEO
07/03/2025
The South African logistics industry is at a pivotal point, grappling with ongoing infrastructure and operational inefficiencies while pushing for greater efficiency, digitalisation, and stakeholder collaboration. Amid economic pressures, regulatory changes, and network constraints, the sector is pursuing reforms that present both challenges and opportunities. Dr. Juanita Maree, CEO of the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff), highlights the need for collaborative solutions, market liberalisation—especially in the rail sector—and port restructuring to strengthen resilience. Despite rising costs, delays, and transport network bottlenecks, freight forwarders are embracing digital transformation, leveraging data analytics, and improving supply chain visibility to optimise operations and ensure reliability through South African-specific strategies. Source
Liners cut long-haul sailings, but ‘it won’t be enough’ to stop rates tumbling
05/03/2025
MSC and the Ocean and Premier container shipping alliances are scaling back some of their transpacific and Asia-Europe services in an effort to counter falling freight rates, according to Linerlytica’s latest report. MSC’s transpacific Mustang service, initially slated for reintroduction last July but delayed due to Singapore port bottlenecks, has now been scrapped entirely, with its vessels reassigned to other routes. Similarly, the Ocean Alliance has postponed the launch of its Asia-North Europe NEU3 service, while the Premier Alliance is expected to delay two transpacific services planned for May. Despite these capacity reductions, Linerlytica suggests they are unlikely to ease the downward pressure on rates, noting that although Shanghai-North Europe freight rates rose by 7% at the end of February, there is still insufficient cargo volume to sustain rate increases. Carriers’ tentative capacity cuts and failed attempts at rate hikes underscore the ongoing struggle to balance supply and demand.
In addition, Linerlytica reports that MSC’s decision to redirect its 24,000 TEU vessels from the Asia-North Europe route to the Asia-Mediterranean and West Africa trades, along with the suspension of NEU3, is unlikely to alleviate the overcapacity problem, with April departures still hovering at 300,000 TEU weekly. Transpacific spot rates continue to decline, with the Shanghai-US West Coast rate dropping below $2,500 per 40ft container for the first time since January 2024, reaching $2,405 according to Freightos’ Baltic Index—the lowest since December 2023. While MSC has confirmed the cancellation of the Mustang service to the Pacific Northwest, Linerlytica points out that this has minimal impact on current capacity since MSC had already blanked its first four sailings in February. Planned rate hikes have been pushed back to the second half of the month, but given the current uncertainty and additional 10% tariffs on Chinese imports to the US, transpacific volumes remain subdued, making significant rate increases unlikely in the near term. Source
TPM: Weak Asia-Europe rates don’t mean it’s a weak market
06/03/2025
The recent weakness in spot rates on major east-west container routes should not be mistaken for a fundamentally weak market, according to liner analyst Lars Jensen at S&P Global’s TPM25 conference in Long Beach. Jensen emphasized that global demand remains strong, with container volumes up 6% last year and, factoring in the Red Sea crisis and measuring by TEU-miles, growth hitting 25%. He explained that the current instability stems from carriers adjusting to new network structures, making blank sailings less effective as they focus on retaining market share. Jensen argued the falling rates are temporary, contingent on avoiding a global recession and the continued disruption of Suez transits. He cautioned that if Suez transits resume, it will likely be chaotic, bringing European port congestion, tying up vessel capacity, and leading to equipment shortages in Asia. While this may briefly benefit carriers through surcharges, shippers should brace for a tight market followed by a sharp drop in freight rates.
Jensen predicted that after the initial adjustment period following the potential reopening of the Suez route, the container shipping market will face prolonged overcapacity. He pointed out that the global fleet expanded by 11% last year, while demand only grew by 6%, making a supply-demand imbalance inevitable. European retailers may need to adjust their supply chains to account for faster Suez transits, potentially resulting in a demand drop of up to 10% on Asia-Europe routes. As a result, freight rates are expected to fall sharply and could remain low for several quarters until carriers respond by laying up ships. While the resumption of Suez transits may bring some operational relief, it could also trigger a volatile period of rate declines and market corrections. Source
Shipping in the crosshairs as trade uncertainty hits all-time high
07/03/2025
Global trade policies are currently facing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, according to the Trade Policy Uncertainty (TPU) Index developed by four Federal Reserve Board employees. The index, which tracks mentions of trade policy and uncertainty in major media, earnings calls, and tariff data since 1960, has surged to record highs—nearly double the previous peaks from Donald Trump’s first term—following his return to the White House on January 20. His first six weeks back in office have been marked by tariff announcements, a renewed pressure campaign on Iran, efforts toward peace in Ukraine, the formation of a National Energy Dominance Council, and proposed taxes on Chinese-built ships calling at US ports. Research from the TPU index creators highlights that such spikes in trade policy uncertainty lead to reduced investment and economic activity. This heightened unpredictability was a major focus at Splash’s 10th-anniversary event, where industry leaders discussed how rapid news cycles and shifting geopolitics have made shipping markets more volatile and difficult to predict.
Andy Dacy of JP Morgan Asset Management noted that shipping has been buffeted by more geopolitical shocks, wars, pandemics, financial crises, and regulatory changes over the past decade than ever before. Similarly, Nick Brown, CEO of Lloyd’s Register, pointed out that these challenges—sanctions, tariffs, war, and the pandemic—have exposed deep vulnerabilities in the global supply chain. Despite these disruptions, Splash columnist Andrew Craig-Bennett emphasized that merchant shipping, which handles 80% of world trade, may adapt by finding alternative routes if tariffs are imposed broadly under Trump’s leadership. He argued that while increased tariffs could hurt the US economy, longer shipping routes might actually boost ton-mile demand. However, a recent report from Hartland Shipping warned that the unpredictability of Trump’s policies, combined with underwhelming spot earnings and market-moving announcements, makes it nearly impossible to forecast the future balance of supply and demand in the shipping industry, leaving sentiment subdued as geopolitical and trade threats continue to unfold. Source
US container imports hit near-record high in Feb as tariff risks loom
05/03/2025
In February 2025, U.S. container import volumes grew 4.7% year-over-year to more than 2.2 million TEUs, the second-highest volume on record for the month. The increase was driven by a 7.9% increase in imports from China, reflecting resilient domestic consumption and front-loading of purchases ahead of the imposition of new tariffs.
However, trade tensions between the US and its partners, especially China, could impact future volumes. President Donald Trump has imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, bringing the tariffs to 20%, with the possibility of further increases to 25%. In response, China has slapped tariffs of between 10% and 15% on a range of US imports and taken its complaints to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The tariff disputes are worrying exporters and importers, who fear impacts on the global supply chain. The agricultural sector and manufacturing in the US could be hit hard by retaliatory tariffs, while consumers are likely to feel the effects on prices. The scenario adds uncertainty to global trade and may lead companies to review their logistics strategies.
Despite the challenges, some companies maintain a positive outlook. Maersk , one of the world’s largest ocean carriers, projects that the global container market will grow by 5% to 7% by 2025, despite geopolitical tensions. This suggests that, despite the volatility, international trade remains dynamic, requiring companies to adapt. 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
