Freight & Logistics Update 31 October 2025

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AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS

Air Freight

Imports: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.

Exports: Ethiopian Airline has a backlog ex ADD into All destinations, +/- 7 days.

Sea Freight

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.
SACO is opening a new office in Mauritania.
Mentionable delay of 5 days at Walvis Bay, Namibia.
Nigeria – Heavy congestion at the Apapa port as a result of the ongoing road repairs on Ijora Road, which serves as a major access route to the port. Due to this situation, there have been significant delays in transferring containers, with long truck queues for both entry and exit at the Apapa port.
Mauritius – Berthing delays of up to 0 – 7 days experienced at Port Louis due to adverse weather conditions and operational challenges in the terminal.
Mozambique – Although some improvement, there are possible vessel delays in Mozambique, may have a subsequent ripple effect on the transit times and delays into the rest of East Africa. As a result, erratic vessels schedules, blanked sailings and extended transit times may be experienced. Maputo currently has 11 days vessel waiting time.
Kenya- Berthing delays of 4 – 5 days experienced at Mombasa port.
Tanzania – Berthing delays of 5 – 8 days experienced at Dar es Salaam ports. Berthing sequence will impact waiting time. Terminal gate and road is congested resulting in delays.

West Africa

NAMIBIA

5 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 3 day experienced at Tema port.

NIGERIA

Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Apapa and 4 days at Tincan.
Heavy congestion at the Apapa port as a result of the ongoing road repairs on Ijora Road, which serves as a major access route to the port. Due to this situation, there have been significant delays in transferring containers, with long truck queues for both entry and exit at the Apapa port.

IVORY COAST

Berthing delay of 3 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 – 7 days experienced at Port Louis due to adverse weather conditions and operational challenges in the terminal.

REUNION

Port Reunion is seeing 4 – 5 days waiting time, with come operational challenges being experienced.

MADAGASCAR

Toamasina (Tamatave) has 0 days berthing delays.

East Africa

Although some improvement, there are possible vessel delays in Mozambique, may have a subsequent ripple effect on the transit times and delays into the rest of East Africa. As a result, erratic vessels schedules, blanked sailings and extended transit times may be experienced.

MOZAMBIQUE

Maputo currently reflecting 2 days and Beira reflecting 11 days vessel waiting time.

KENYA

Berthing delays of 4 – 5 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. Berthing sequence will impact waiting time. Terminal gate and road is congested resulting in delays.

NORTH AMERICA

Air Freight

Imports Air: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.

Sea Freight

Canada, Vancouver: Berthing delays of 6 days experienced at this port.
USA: At this time SACO South Africa and, Shipco, will maintain the US import and export services on the direct USA sailing with MSC. The Chicago service will load out of New York port, while Atlanta will load out of Savannah as opposed to Norfolk and Charleston.
Advisory issued by Shipco Transport on 28 October 2025 on Hurricane Melissa –

Please be advised that due to the severe weather conditions and for the safety of our staff, our Jamaica office & CFS are temporarily closed. This closure is effective immediately due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa. We are monitoring the situation closely and will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. We will notify you of our reopening date and any changes to our operations.

CANADA

SACO and WWA LCL services ex Canada into South Africa are routed over Rotterdam hub.
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 1 day experienced at this port.
Import dwell times are at 3.4 days, with terminals working with railway to improve rail car supply.

VANCOUVER

Berthing delays of 6 days experienced at this port.
Production levels remain high and yard utilisation is steady at 83%.
Average import rail dwell time is 3.6 days and rail car supply remains consistent.

USA

At this time SACO South Africa and our US partners, Shipco, will maintain our US import and export services on the direct USA sailing with MSC. Our Chicago service will load out of New York port, while Atlanta will load out of Savannah as opposed to Norfolk and Charleston.

Advisory issued by Shipco Transport on 28 October 2025 – Hurricane Melissa – Jamaica Office & CFS Closure

Please be advised that due to the severe weather conditions and for the safety of our staff, our Jamaica office & CFS are temporarily closed. This closure is effective immediately due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we prioritize the safety of our team and community during this time. We are monitoring the situation closely and will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. We will notify you of our reopening date and any changes to our operations.

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. Import dwell time is 8.1 days

LOS ANGELES/ LONG BEACH

Vessel waiting time is up to 2 days for Los Angeles and 4 days for Long Beach.
Terminal gates are running as published and in line with Pier Pass programme.

SOUTH AMERICA

Air Freight

Imports Air: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.

Sea Freight

Argentina, Buenos Aires: Berthing delay of 6 days.
Brazil, Santos/Parangua: 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 terminals are seeing congestion, with vessels being delayed and subsequently arriving outside of berthing windows.
Mexico, Veracruz: Berthing delays of 6 days.

ARGENTINA – Buenos Aires

Berthing delays of 6 days.
Yard at 68% utilization, waiting time of 1 hour, working normally.
SACO LCL services move over Hamburg.

BRAZIL – Santos / Paranagua

Berthing delay of 3 days experienced at Santos port and 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.
Paranagua terminals are seeing congestion, with vessels being delayed and subsequently arriving outside of berthing windows.

MEXICO

Altimera

Berthing delays of 0 days experienced at Altamira port.

Veracruz

Berthing delays of 6 days.

Manzanillo

Berthing delays of 2 days.

NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN

Air Freight

Imports Air: Operations are running smoothly, with only minor delays attributed to peak season demand

Sea Freight

Belgium, Antwerp: Berthing delays of 7 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 6 days experienced at Le Havre port.
Germany: New MSC service loading direct ex HAMBURG, with transshipment in either Portugal (Sines) or Las Palmas onto NWC sailing into South Africa. This allows for direct loading ex Hamburg, as opposed to additional trucking leg from Hamburg to Bremerhaven onto direct NWC service.

BELGIUM

Berthing delays of 7 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 6 days experienced at Le Havre port.

GERMANY

Berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Hamburg and 1 day at Bremerhaven.
Terminal yards are at elevated levels but are stable with little impact on operations.
New MSC service loading direct ex HAMBURG, with transshipment in either Portugal (Sines) or Las Palmas onto NWC sailing into South Africa. This allows for direct loading ex Hamburg, as opposed to additional trucking leg from Hamburg to Bremerhaven onto direct NWC service.

ITALY

Terminals are congested with berthing delays of 4 days experienced at Genova and 4 days at La Spezia port.

NETHERLANDS

Berthing delays of 11 days experienced at Rotterdam port.
Generally, yard utilization is high, but stable. However, RWG levels are critical with 80%-85% utilization.

SPAIN

Berthing delays of 1 day experienced at Barcelona port.

TURKEY

Berthing delays of 0 days experienced at Istanbul port and 3 days at Izmir port.

UNITED KINGDOM

Berthing delays of 6 days experienced at London Gateway port.

MIDDLE EAST AND INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT

Air Freight

Imports Air: Operations are running smoothly with no significant delays.

Sea Freight

Exports Sea: MSC is no longer offering direct service into Jebel Ali – Vessels are now routing via Mundra.

INDIA

Berthing delays of 3 days experienced at Nhava Sheva and 2 days at Chennai.
Weather related operational stoppages.

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

Imports Air: Operations are running smoothly, with only minor delays attributed to peak season demand

Sea Freight

Carriers are advising of tightening capacity out of the region. We are anticipating seeing some delays out of major ports and also delays / unscheduled container transshipments through Singapore.
Shekou / Yantian: 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.

HONG KONG

Berthing delay of 1 day experienced at this port.

NANSHA

Berthing delays of 2 day experienced at this port.

NINGBO

Berthing delay of 2 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 2 days experienced at this port. Heavy vessel bunching and congestion being experienced. Carrier capacity is tight and therefore delays may be experienced.

SHEKOU / YANTIAN

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 3 days experienced at Busan port. Mega vessel bunching is creating some congestion at PNIT Terminal.

TAIWAN

Berthing delay of 6 days experienced at Kaohsiung and 2 days at Keelung ports.

THAILAND

Berthing delay of 1 days experienced at Bangkok and 2 days at Laem Chabang ports.

NEWS ARTICLES

South African Port Improvements Underway, Says MSC

24/10/2025

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has reaffirmed its confidence in South Africa’s port performance, disputing the World Bank’s recent Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) rankings. Speaking at MSC’s annual industry celebration in Sandton, managing director Rosario Sarno stated that local ports are operating effectively, with steady improvements reflected in weekly Cargo Movement Updates from the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff) and Business Unity South Africa (Busa). Industry commentators have also criticised the CPPI’s methodology, arguing that it unfairly compares high-volume ports like Durban with smaller, less busy terminals such as Berbera.

Sarno praised Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips for driving meaningful reforms and infrastructure upgrades, noting increased port efficiency and productivity supported by the delivery of four new ship-to-shore cranes at the Port of Durban. The R4 billion equipment acquisition plan, announced by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, forms part of a broader modernisation drive extending into 2026. Sarno added that despite global and domestic challenges, South Africa’s logistics sector continues to show resilience and determination.

MSC’s chairman, Salvatore Sarno, reaffirmed the carrier’s long-term commitment to South Africa’s maritime and logistics network, announcing R2.7 billion in new infrastructure investments. The initiative includes expanding the Durban–Gauteng container rail corridor and revitalising the Port of Durban’s vessel maintenance hub. These efforts are expected to create an additional 700 jobs, complementing the more than 2,000 people currently employed by MSC South Africa. Source

Spot Rates Slide to Pre-Pandemic Lows, Putting Pressure on Global Carriers

27/10/2025

Global container shipping lines are facing renewed pressure as ocean freight spot rates return to pre-pandemic levels, with analysts warning of further downward momentum. According to Sea-Intelligence’s review of Drewry’s World Container Index data from 2012 to 2025, inflation-adjusted rates on major trades such as Asia–Europe and Asia–US East Coast have fallen below 2019 levels, while Asia–US West Coast rates remain only slightly higher. The research agency concluded that current rate levels can no longer be considered elevated, noting that the declines mirror conditions last seen before the Red Sea crisis.

Sea-Intelligence attributed the softening market to a surge of new vessel deliveries and the reopening of the Suez route, which together are expected to increase capacity and further depress spot rates. Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen described the market as inherently cyclical and highly sensitive to shifts in supply and demand, warning that sustained oversupply could force carriers to respond by cutting capacity, slowing sailings, or scrapping vessels. Source

US Port Volumes Plummet Amid Tariff Turmoil, Signalling Multi-Year Declines

28/10/2025

New data from Blue Alpha Capital reveals a steep 6.6% year-on-year decline in container throughput across the ten largest US ports in September, following a brief uptick in August. The drop is linked to the disruptive implementation of revised reciprocal tariffs on 7 August, which triggered a temporary rush to ship goods from Asia before the new measures took effect. As a result, August volumes reached record highs, but the subsequent months have shown sharp contraction.

Liner analyst John McCown noted that while shipments loaded before the 7 August deadline and arriving before 5 October were exempt from the tariffs, this exemption only provided short-term relief. Once those front-loaded shipments cleared, inbound trade volumes quickly fell, particularly on longer Asia–US East Coast routes. Container Trade Statistics data shows that while US import volumes fell nearly 10% in September, global trade lanes outside the US saw marked increases — a sharp reversal from 2024, when the US had led global growth.

McCown warned that the decline marks the start of a deeper downturn, with fourth-quarter results expected to erase earlier gains and push 2025 into negative territory. The National Retail Federation projects total inbound volumes to fall 3.4% year-on-year, with the last four months of 2025 down nearly 16% compared with the same period in 2024.

Looking ahead, McCown cautioned that the “volume carnage” is unlikely to end soon. With new tariffs expected to persist under the current administration, he has abandoned his previous long-term forecast of 2.7% annual growth for US container volumes. Instead, he predicts a prolonged adjustment period marked by structural trade barriers and multi-year declines before stability returns. Source

Trans-Pacific Rates Rebound as Carriers Push New Increases

24/10/2025

After months of declining freight rates, global shipping markets are showing early signs of recovery, particularly on Trans-Pacific trade routes. According to the Freightos Baltic Index, rates from Asia to the US West Coast have surged by 18% per FEU, while East Coast routes saw a modest 2% rise. Drewry’s World Container Index also reported similar gains across both Trans-Pacific and Asia–Europe lanes, suggesting renewed rate strength heading into year-end.

In anticipation of upcoming annual contract negotiations, ocean carriers have announced new general rate increases (GRIs) effective November 1. Analysts attribute this move partly to a rush in bookings ahead of the proposed 100% tariff on Chinese imports, also set for November. With ships currently sailing at near full capacity, industry observers like Shipco Transport’s Matthew Burgess believe these rate hikes could hold firm in the short term.

Looking ahead, carriers may find further support from shifting global trade dynamics. The IMF expects Asia to remain the key driver of global economic growth, accounting for around 60% of total expansion over the next year. At the same time, BIMCO projects continued growth in emerging trade lanes beyond the US, particularly between Asia and markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Mediterranean — reinforcing Asia’s pivotal role in shaping post-globalization shipping patterns. Source

European Road Freight Faces Fragile Recovery Amid Weak Demand and Capacity Imbalances

21/10/2025

Europe’s road freight sector is showing tentative signs of recovery, but weak demand and uneven capacity continue to weigh on profitability. According to Transport Intelligence (Ti) and Upply, consumer spending across Europe remains subdued due to inflation and high energy costs, while manufacturing activity is slowly improving. The latest Upply-Ti-IRU index shows spot and contract rates converging around 132 in Q2, reflecting what analysts call a “fragile balance” in market conditions.

Despite modest restocking activity in manufacturing, overall freight volumes remain below pre-2023 levels, with Ti projecting a “cautiously steady” outlook for Q4 2025. Major logistics operators have reported continued margin pressure, including DSV, which recently completed its acquisition of DB Schenker, and Dachser, which cited weak consumption and industrial output as key drags. Similarly, Scan Global Logistics reported a 12% year-on-year revenue decline in its road division, underscoring the persistent overcapacity and reduced utilisation across the market.

Capacity challenges are compounded by an enduring shortage of drivers, with the International Road Transport Union (IRU) estimating more than 420,000 vacancies across the EU. While the number of registered heavy goods vehicles has risen slightly, staffing remains a critical bottleneck. Industry leaders, including Jan de Rijk Transport’s David Smorenburg, have urged the sector to look beyond EU borders for recruitment solutions, warning that the driver shortage “is not going to go away.” Source

Return to Suez Could Trigger Import Surge and Port Congestion Across Europe

20/10/2025

As the fragile Gaza ceasefire continues to hold, the global shipping industry is cautiously eyeing the possibility of resuming Suez Canal transits. However, recent instability in the Red Sea — including an explosion aboard the LPG tanker Falcon — highlights ongoing risks in the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. Despite the uncertainty, analysts warn that a sudden return to the Suez route could overwhelm Europe’s already stretched port infrastructure.

New data from Sea-Intelligence projects that a full-scale return to Suez transits could lead to a temporary doubling of container volumes entering Europe. Based on Q2 2025 figures, if all carriers resumed the route simultaneously, European ports would face a surge from 459,000 to 918,000 TEU per week — a 60% spike that could cripple port operations. A more gradual reintroduction, phased over four to eight weeks, could soften the impact to between 14% and 30% growth, though even that would test capacity.

Sea-Intelligence noted that Europe’s ports have limited flexibility to absorb such shocks, having already faced congestion earlier this year. The consultancy stressed that while a phased transition would mitigate chaos, even a moderate 10% rise in throughput could strain existing terminal capacity and logistics networks. The broader concern remains whether Europe’s ports have sufficient resilience to manage this sudden and uneven influx.

Meanwhile, the uncertainty is weighing heavily on Asia-Europe shippers as they enter contract negotiations for 2026. Many remain hesitant to reroute vessels through the Suez until insurers restore coverage and stability returns to the Red Sea corridor. Industry sources anticipate fierce competition and potential rate volatility once carriers resume full operations via Suez, as overlapping arrivals could trigger short-term congestion and pricing disruption across major European gateways. Source

Intra-Asia Freight Rates Slide as Carriers Cut Capacity

27/10/2025

Intra-Asia container freight rates fell sharply in early October, with Drewry reporting a 12% decline compared to late September and a 3% drop year-on-year. The average rate stood at $487 per 40ft container, reflecting weak demand despite efforts by carriers to blank sailings ahead of China’s Golden Week. According to Xeneta, rates from Shanghai to Ho Chi Minh City have plunged 40% since June, while reliability has fallen to just 17%, with average transit times now over two days longer than scheduled. Similarly, rates from South Korea to Southeast Asia dropped 33% year-on-year to $910 per 40ft.

Analysts attribute the rate weakness to excess capacity and fierce competition among carriers in the region. Alphaliner noted a 13% year-on-year increase in deployed capacity, with 69 active carriers and total tonnage reaching 2.4 million TEU. Major lines like Maersk and Cosco have expanded their intra-Asia fleets, though carriers are now being forced to reduce capacity as spot rates fall below sustainable levels. Market observers expect further adjustments in the coming months as operators attempt to restore balance between supply and demand. Source

SOURCES & REFERENCES

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

Freight & Logistics Update 31 October 2025

AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS

NORTH AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

NORTH WEST CONTINENT, UNITED KINGDOM, MEDITERRANEAN

MIDDLE EAST AND INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT

ASIA PACIFIC (Including Oceania)

NEWS ARTICLES

SOURCES & REFERENCES

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