International Port Terminals Update
Summary of terminal operating conditions in Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, Europe and UK
Courtesy of Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA)
The CNY delays are expected to quickly ease off, but the industry is facing congestion in North American & European ports.
Australian ports continue to experience uncertain waiting times.
It is of utmost importance for importers & exporters to plan their supply chains in advance, taking into consideration the additional delays caused by congestion and capacity constraints.
Korea
Pusan: Terminal capacity utilization remains high at over 80%. All Pusan terminals have
restricted gate-in access for local and transhipment exports to within 3 to 5 days in an effect to improve terminal capacity utilization. Vessel berthing waiting time varies from 1.5 to 4 days.
China
Shanghai: Average berth-waiting time up to 1 to 2 days at SIPGSD YS4 terminal and 1 to 3
days Waigaoqiao Port (WGQ) terminal.
Ningbo: Terminal capacity utilization is currently sitting at around 67%. Average berth waiting time 1 to 3 days
Nansha: Guangzhou South China Oceangate Container Terminal (GOCT) terminal currently experiencing berth congestion with an average waiting time of 1 to 3 days.
Yantian: Vessel berthing and waiting time is currently around 1 to 3 days. Vessels with large
discharge for reefer and dangerous goods containers are experiencing longer waiting time for a vessel berth. Terminal capacity is currently at 83%. To control terminal capacity extra vessel loaders are being prioritized. To cope with the vast increase in import-export DG
containers YICT will be upgrading the current DG terminal to allow for additional capacity.
Qingdao: Vessel berthing delays and congestion due to seasonal weather conditions. Average berthing waiting time 1 to 2 days.
Shekou: All berths are currently operating however terminal capacity utilization remains high at 80% to 91%. Vessel wating time is currently around 1 to 4 days. Vessel port time stay in current longer due to the epidemic impact of Covid.
Hong Kong
Modern Terminals Limited (MTL) utilization and capacity is at 85%. Priority is being given to export vessels where export volume is greater than import discharge volume.
Average vessel waiting time is 1 to 2 days. Longer waiting time are expected for import discharging vessels and subject to available terminal capacity. Berthing restrictions will
remain in place until terminal capacity is at a sustainable level. HKSPA MTL/HIT has implemented new measures to minimize face to face contact between terminal staff and ship crew.
Singapore
Vessel berthing average waiting time is 10-19 hours for Import and export
vessels. High container volumes remain the key challenge especially within the reefer terminal. Terminal capacity utilization is currently sitting at around 90% to 95%. Terminal priority is still being directed towards export loading vessels. PSA productivity has improved
thus assisting berthing congestion. PSA as a precautionary measure, has temporarily suspended crew change and vaccination of crew at the Port of Singapore. This change effects crew with recent travel history to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe within the last 14 days preceding arrival to Singapore.
Malaysia
Port Klang vessel berthing average waiting time at Westports is around 19 hours.
Terminal capacity utilization is extremely high at around 90%. Northport vessel berthing average waiting time is around 17 hours. Terminal capacity utilization is 95%. Vessel
berthing priority is based on the amount of vessel loading moves.
USA
Los Angeles-Long Beach: There is currently 4 vessels at anchor or within the 40-mile zone of the port and another 75 vessels either slow steaming or waiting outside the 40-mile zone
awaiting berthing at LAX/LGB as of 11 February 2022. Vessels within the 40-mile zone mile are waiting an average of 4.5 days for a berth depending on the terminal. The new process
to improve safety and air quality off the Southern California coast for container vessels has
reduced the number of backlogged ships at anchorage off the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The process called for each vessel to be assigned a place in the arrival queue based on their departure time from their last port of call and requires vessels to wait for an available berth approximately 150 miles off the California coast.
Both ports are seeing record volumes month after month that challenge the existing port infrastructure. The Port of Long Beach reported its busiest January on record with over 800,000 container lifts. This up 4.8% on the same period in 2021. Imports rose 6.9% and
exports were up 5.9%
Gates are still running as published and in line with Pier Pass program. LAX imports wait time is now at 5 days, down from 11 days. On dock rail remains at 2 days down from 13.4 days. LGB imports wait time has decreased by 60% since 28 October 2021. Chassis pool
utilization is now slightly below 85%. Local trucking delays have been reduced and are being closely monitored by industry due to the lack of chassis. The lack of chassis is affecting all transport moves from local deliveries to terminal moves.
All terminals remain extremely congested and limiting the windows for export cargo acceptance depending on their specific situation.
The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach has again delay consideration of the “Container Dwell Fee” until 18th February 2022 for all stakeholders.
Since the program was announced on October 25, 2021, the two ports have seen a combined decline of 35% in aging cargo on the docks. As expected, year-end holidays have slowed the progress compared to previous weeks.
The executive directors of both ports will reassess fee implementation after monitoring data over the next week. Fee implementation has been postponed by both ports since the start of the program.
Under the temporary policy approved October 29, 2021, by the Harbor Commissions of both ports, ocean carriers can be charged for each import container that falls into one of two categories: In the case of containers scheduled to move by truck, ocean carriers could be
charged for every container dwelling nine days or more. For containers moving by rail, ocean carriers could be charged if a container has dwelled for six days or more. Currently, no date
has been set to start the count with respect to container dwell time.
The ports plan to charge ocean carriers in these two categories $100 per container, increasing in $100 increments per container per day until the container leaves the terminal.
Before the pandemic-induced import surge began in mid-2020, on average, containers for local delivery remained on container terminals under four days, while containers destined for trains dwelled less than two days.
Any fees collected from dwelling cargo will be reinvested for programs designed to enhance efficiency, accelerate cargo velocity, and address congestion impacts.
The policy was developed in coordination with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation, and multiple supply chain stakeholders.
Europe and UK
Antwerp: labour availability is now stable at around 70%. Terminal capacity utilisation has improved to 70% to 84% depending on the terminal. Empty container park capacity utilisation has increased again and is now at a critical level at 100%. Cargo acceptance for export cargo is 7 days prior to vessel ETA.
Rotterdam: Europe Container Terminal (ECT) Due to Covid related sickness and isolation requirements labour availability is down 15% to 25%. Terminal capacity utilisation is at 78% Rotterdam World Gateway Terminal is currently seeing labour availability down around 15% to 20% due to Covid related issues. Terminal capacity utilisation has reduced to around 95%.
Southampton: Several Covid cases have been reported this week. However, this is having
minimal effect on terminal operations. Terminal capacity utilisation is at a critical at 99% which now impending terminal productivity. Empty container park capacity utilisation has further decreased to a much healthier level of around 60%. Export cargo acceptance is 7 days in advance is vessel ETA.
London Gateway: Labour availability is now at a much higher level of availability. Terminal capacity utilisation is now 77% – 86%. Empty container park capacity utilisation has increased to around 164%. All vessel movements are now operating with a berthing window.
Hamburg: Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) labour availability is at 85% due to Covid related issues. Terminal capacity utilisation is still high at 89%. One terminal keyside crane is still subject to retrofitting. This effects around 5% to 6% of terminal handling capacity.
Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB) labour availability is at 85% due to Covid related issues. Terminal capacity utilisation has been reduced to 86%. Empty container park capacity utilisation has increased to 75%.
Le Havre: Terminal capacity utilisation has improved significantly to 80%. This is creating improvements in terminal productivity and operations. Reefer capacity utilisation within the terminal is at 100%. Terminal container slot bookings for transport operators are being booked out days in advance. Planned rail berth track maintenance has commenced and will continue for 4 weeks leaving 200 metres of berthing space closed. This will see longer vessel waiting times and some port congestion at Terminal de France.