SHIP delays across northern Europe, driven by adverse weather and increased demand, are causing bottlenecks at ports and inland logistics hubs, reports Journal of Commerce.
Carriers and forwarders report that vessels are missing berthing windows due to storms in Europe, typhoons in Asia, and extended voyages around southern Africa. This has forced terminals to adopt a "first come, first served" policy.
Hapag-Lloyd noted that foggy conditions, crane replacements, and residual effects from a US longshore strike in October compound delays at Hamburg's Container Terminal Altenwerder.
Similarly, ports in Rotterdam and Antwerp are experiencing average vessel delays of 1.4 and 1.3 days, respectively, with minimal capacity for flexibility.
Despite these challenges, demand remains strong. North European imports from China in October surged 23 per cent year-over-year, totalling 725,744 TEU, according to Container Trade Statistics. However, schedule reliability is deteriorating, with October's on-time performance for Asia-Europe shipments dropping to 42.5 per cent, a 22-point decline from last year.
The ongoing rerouting of vessels away from the Suez Canal and alliance restructuring are likely to exacerbate disruptions.
December and January will see blank sailings totaling over 150,000 TEU, reducing available capacity and intensifying congestion.
https://www.shippingazette.com/news?news_id=9241200000794
|
Back:
Next:
