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
Exports: With peak season in full swing, demand for freight capacity ex South Africa (ZA) has risen, exerting upward pressure on freight rates. Dead freight penalties are implemented by most airlines, 72 hours notice required for cancellations. However operationally, no major delays have been encountered.
Sea Freight
Exports: Booking slots on selected vessels and POD’s are filling up extremely quickly – most vessels to certain destinations have been fully booked until week 51 -52. We advise all customers to secure bookings as early as possible.
NB update for shipment of vehicles Ex South Africa
- The upcoming Amendment 42-24 to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code introduces important changes to the classification of vehicles transported by sea.
- These updates mainly affect battery-powered vehicles and hybrid systems, and will be effective from 1 January 2026.
Durban Port
Pier 1 has experienced operational challenges in the past week. No backlogs.
- Pier 1: 5 – 7 days waiting time
- Pier 2 (DCT): 1 – 3 days waiting time
- Point: 0 – 2 days waiting time
Cape Town Port
Strong winds have impacted port operations. Export stack dates have been erratic and vessel omissions to Cape Town have been experienced. Some delays of container movement have been experienced. No backlogs.
- CTCT: 1 – 4 days waiting time
- MPT: 0 – 2 days waiting time
Port Elizabeth
Port operations are smooth and clearer weather is expected. No backlogs.
- PECT: 0 – 1 day waiting time.
- NCT: 0 – 2 days waiting time
AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS
Air Freight
Exports: Ethiopian Airline has a backlog ex ADD into All destinations, +/- 7days.
SA Airlink backlogs into: Mozambique ( MPM and BEW ) St Helena (HLE) Malawi ( BLZ and LLW)
Sea Freight
Exports: Due to severe congestion in Conakry, carriers have implemented an “Emergency congestion surcharge” which will impact freight rates into West Africa.
As a result of the unrest in Tanzania at the end of October; congestion and delays are being experienced in both Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. Schedules are erratic and we do anticipate that we may experience further schedule amendments, blanked sailings and extended transit times may be experienced.
East Africa services overall 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.
West Africa services are experiencing delays; both on direct ex Durban Gateway, as well as transshipment volumes moving through Europe. Vessel rotation schedules are being experienced, as port and terminal delays along vessel routes are compounded. Container transshipments (cargo moving from and through Europe) are seeing extensive delays in transshipment hubs of Tangiers and Algeciras. With backlogs, containers are moving on FIFO schedule. These delays will result in extended lead times.
West Africa
NAMIBIA
- 2 – 5 days waiting time at Walvis Bay.
- Intermittent wind gusts to be expected.
ANGOLA
- Berthing delays of up to 5 days experienced at Luanda port.
GHANA
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Tema port.
- Terminal is facing crane outages, with 1 crane under maintenance. Due to slow operations, vessel bunching is being experienced and vessels out of berthing windows may experience 8 to 10 days delay.
NIGERIA
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Apapa and 4 days at Tincan.
IVORY COAST
- Berthing delay of 1 – 2 days experienced at Abidjan port.
- Due to new crane operations, the terminal has only been berthing one vessel at a time between 2nd and 12th Nov. Operational slow down is expected.
East Africa
MOZAMBIQUE
- Maputo currently reflecting 0 – 2 days and Beira reflecting 17 days vessel waiting time.
- Maputo – Intermittent wind gusts and rain for the week.
- Delays in Beira as a result of adverse weather conditions. Additional equipment has been deployed in order to improve productivity.
KENYA
- Berthing delays of 4 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 10 days experienced at Dar es Salaam ports.
- Terminal gate and road congestion is contributing to delays.
- It is anticipated that waiting times and delays, as a result of the recent conflict, will only ease towards end of December.
NORTH AMERICA
Thanksgiving holiday is on Thursday 27th November 2025.
Air Freight
Exports: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.
Sea Freight
Canada: Ongoing bad weather in the North Atlantic has resulted in vessel delays; this has had a significant impact on St John. Delays are anticipated.
CANADA
Ongoing bad weather in the North Atlantic has resulted in vessel delays; this has had a significant impact on St John. Delays are anticipated.
Montreal
- Berthing delay of 2 – 3 days experienced at this port.
- All services calling Montreal are facing severe weather on the North Atlantic.
- Improved rail car supply.
Vancouver
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port.
- Steady productivity and consistent rail cargo supply.
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 2 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 1 day for Long Beach.
SOUTH AMERICA
Air Freight
Exports: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.
Sea Freight
ARGENTINA – Buenos Aires
- Berthing delays of 4 days. Terminals are working normally.
- SACO LCL services move over Hamburg.
BRAZIL – Santos / Paranagua
- Berthing delay of 4 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.
- Terminals and yard congestion and delays due to bad weather are being experienced.
MEXICO
Altimera
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Altamira port.
Veracruz
- Berthing delays of 3 days.
Manzanillo
- Berthing delays of 2 days.
NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN.
Air Freight
Exports: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.
Sea Freight
Delays are being experienced on north bound services, with transshipments in London Gateway being up to 2 weeks. South bound services are experiencing extensive delays due to heavy congestion being experienced at transshipment hubs, specifically Las Palmas, Algeciras, Tangiers. We are seeing carrier rotation changing, with container transshipments being performed at other terminals (e.g. Las Palmas vs Sines). Services calling west coast of Africa are being especially impacted.
BELGIUM
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Antwerp port.
- PSA has gate opening times to 6 days prior to vessel ETA, while AGW sees opening times at 5 daysprior to vessel ETA.
- Congestion delays continue in Antwerp; with restricted booking slots delaying the movement of containers. Gate in schedules are very fluid, with last minute changes from the carriers at very little notice. Loading delays may be experienced.
FRANCE
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Le Havre port.
GERMANY
- Berthing delays of 5 days experienced at Hamburg and 1 day at Bremerhaven.
- Yard utilisation is high, but operations are normal.
- Delays have been experienced with containers transhipping in Las Palmas on southbound services.
- SACO Germany will be amending service back to Hamburg container pack, but gate containers into Bremerhaven port for loading onto the direct NWC service. Hamburg CFS will continue to see two loadings per week and the Bremen CFS will continue with their existing weekly loading.
ITALY
- Terminals are congested with berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Genova and 2 days at La Spezia port.
- 8th December 2025 is a national holiday in Italy.
NETHERLANDS
- Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Rotterdam port.
SPAIN
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Barcelona port.
- Malta Customs are now operating on introduction of ICS2 filing. Malta as final destination must be reflected on ENS MRN declaration and not Spain. If destination is not reflected correctly, cargo will not be able to transship as needed.
TURKEY
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Istanbul port and 1 days at Izmir port.
UNITED KINGDOM
- Berthing delays of 0 days experienced at London Gateway port.
MIDDLE EAST AND INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT
Air Freight
Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.
Sea Freight
Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.
INDIA
- Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Nhava Sheva and 1 day at Chennai.
SRI LANKA
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Colombo port.
- Terminal services impacted high transshipment levels and bad weather conditions. Poor weather conditions expected until the end of the month.
- FCL containers transhipping in Colombo may experience delays.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Jebel Ali.
- Operations are normal.
ASIA PACIFIC (Including Oceania)
Air Freight
Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.
Sea Freight
Capacity has eased in the APAC region and freight rates soften into December.
HONG KONG
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.
NANSHA / GUANGZHOU
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at this port.
- Severe congestion at NICT terminal.
NINGBO
- Berthing delay of 2 days experienced at this port.
QINGDAO
- Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at this port. Vessel bunching and congestion being experienced.
- Poor weather is impacting operations.
SHANGHAI
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at this port. Heavy vessel bunching and congestion being experienced.
SHEKOU / SHENZHEN
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Shekou and 1 day at Yantian ports.
- Congestion being experienced as a result of bad weather and vessel bunching in Shekou.
- 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 1 day experienced at this port.
XINGANG / TIANJIN
- Berthing delay of 2 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. Carriers may perform unscheduled container transshipments in Singapore in order to clear backlog.
KOREA
- Berthing delays of 2 days experienced at Busan port. Mega vessel bunching is creating some congestion at PNIT Terminal.
TAIWAN
- Berthing delay of 3 days experienced at Kaohsiung and 2 days at Keelung ports.
- There was a temporary port closure in Kaohsiung on 10th November 2025 at 07:50.
THAILAND
- Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at Bangkok and 1 day at Laem Chabang ports.
NEWS ARTICLES
China-SA zero-tariff talks advance amid stronger global south focus
24/11/2025
South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, used the G20 Leaders’ Summit to underline Africa’s strengthening strategic role in global trade. The summit, themed Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability, resulted in the adoption of the Johannesburg Leaders’ Declaration, which prioritises reducing global inequality, reforming financial systems, easing debt pressures on developing countries, and accelerating climate and renewable-energy commitments—all achieved without U.S. participation.
A key development was China’s commitment to collaborate with South Africa on multilateral trade reforms and the implementation of a zero-tariff initiative. During bilateral discussions ahead of the summit, Chinese Premier Li Qiang affirmed Beijing’s readiness to apply zero-tariff access for South African goods, aligned with WTO Most Favoured Nation principles. Tau confirmed that South Africa is engaging labour, civil society, and business as it works toward a formal agreement.
Tau also noted that while the absence of the United States was significant, South Africa continues separate trade engagements with Washington, having compartmentalised these discussions. He stressed that the G20 outcomes remain critical for global trade governance, rules-based systems, and financing for development, despite the missing U.S. voice.
Looking ahead, Tau said the focus now shifts to execution. Two presidential advisory panels will track progress and ensure that G20 commitments translate into concrete bilateral and multilateral actions. He emphasised that Africa’s agenda is “firmly on the table,” with mechanisms being put in place to monitor and advance the continent’s priorities across global platforms. Source
G20 Report Underscores Need for Sustainable Industrial Policy
21/11/2025
The newly released G20 Sustainable Industrial Policy Report highlights the global need to shift toward more resilient and environmentally aligned industrial systems. Speaking at its launch in Pretoria, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Zuko Godlimpi, noted that traditional production models rooted in fossil fuels and resource depletion are no longer compatible with long-term economic or ecological stability.
The report, G20: Removing International Obstacles to Sustainable Industrial Policy, stresses that global cooperation is essential to address climate change, inequality, underdevelopment, and geopolitical instability. It also points out that current multilateral structures often hinder—rather than support—national efforts to adopt transformative industrial strategies.
According to Godlimpi, sustainable industrial policy offers a structured pathway for countries to build diversified, climate-aligned economies while improving resilience and social outcomes. The report provides a framework for aligning industrial policy with climate, development, and equity goals.
South Africa emphasized that a global transition to green and inclusive industrial systems must be equitable. This includes ensuring access to technology and finance for developing countries, supporting workers with new skills, and enabling communities to benefit from industrial transformation. Godlimpi affirmed South Africa’s commitment to advancing this agenda during its G20 presidency. Source
Transnet Marks Milestone with 200th Locomotive Roll-Out
20/11/2025
Transnet has celebrated the production of its 200th locally built Traxx 23E locomotive at its Durban engineering facility, marking major progress in its 240-unit fleet renewal programme launched in 2014. Group chief executive Michelle Phillips described the project as central to modernising South Africa’s freight rail capacity and supporting lower national logistics costs.
To date, 187 locomotives have been delivered to Transnet Freight Rail, with over 220 units assembled. The project directly employs 380 people and has created 2,065 indirect jobs, supported by a large-scale skills-transfer initiative developed in partnership with Alstom. Since a 2023 settlement agreement, Transnet Engineering has accelerated production through expanded shifts and stabilised supply chains, achieving record output in 2024.
Localisation remains a significant achievement, with over 60% of the contract value produced domestically and more than R165 million spent on local components and machining services. The Traxx 23E fleet continues to perform strongly in service, achieving 98% availability against a 95% contractual requirement and maintaining high reliability levels.
Alstom and Transnet emphasised that the project has strengthened South Africa’s rail manufacturing ecosystem by building technical skills, expanding the domestic supply chain, and developing future industry talent. Transnet Engineering noted that the successful roll-out positions the company as a leading contender for Original Equipment Manufacturer status on the African continent, with the remaining 40 locomotives on track for delivery by June 2026. Source
Transport Progress Continues, but Structural Weaknesses Persist
05/11/2025
South Africa’s transport network is showing gradual improvement, driven by targeted investments, better operational coordination, and partnerships across industry and government. However, these gains emerge from a low base, with the country’s industrial supply chains still constrained by security risks, resource shortages, port congestion and deteriorating road infrastructure, says Omnia’s Executive for Manufacturing, Operations and Supply Chain, Jacques De Villiers.
Rail and port operations have seen modest improvements, particularly along corridors linked to Richards Bay and in collaborative efforts facilitated by the National Logistics Crisis Committee. Better coordination between Omnia, Transnet and Sasol has improved train movements, even as cable theft, locomotive shortages and operational bottlenecks continue to hinder overall rail efficiency. Port conditions show similar mixed results: Durban remains congested, while Richards Bay has become a more reliable node for key industrial imports.
Road infrastructure remains the system’s biggest vulnerability. As rail capacity lags, more freight is diverted onto roads that were not designed for heavy industrial traffic, accelerating deterioration and heightening safety concerns. To mitigate this, operators like Omnia are diversifying transport modes, expanding rail tanker fleets, investing in road capacity, and upgrading facilities at critical hubs to reduce delays and increase resilience during disruptions.
Technology-driven visibility and cross-sector collaboration are emerging as key enablers of supply chain resilience. Omnia is rolling out a logistics control tower to manage its extensive daily transport footprint, enabling real-time rerouting, safety monitoring and faster responses to risks. Broader system-wide progress will depend on deepening such cooperation between industry and the public sector. While major challenges remain, De Villiers notes that the overall direction is positive, with innovation and coordinated action gradually strengthening South Africa’s transport landscape. 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
