Recently, due to strong demand in the container market and the continued chaos caused by the Red Sea crisis, there are signs of further congestion in global ports. In addition, many major ports in Europe and the United States are facing the threat of strikes, which has brought chaos to the global shipping.
Customers importing from the following ports, please pay more attention:
Singapore Port Congestion
Singapore Port is the world's second largest container port and a major transit hub in Asia. The congestion of this port is crucial to global trade.
The number of containers waiting to berth in Singapore surged in May, reaching a peak of 480,600 twenty-foot standard containers at the peak in late May.
Durban Port Congestion
The Port of Durban is South Africa's largest container port, but according to the 2023 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) released by the World Bank, it ranks 398th out of 405 container ports in the world.
The congestion at the Port of Durban is rooted in extreme weather and equipment failures at the port operator Transnet, which has left more than 90 ships waiting outside the port. The congestion is expected to last for months, and the shipping lines have imposed congestion surcharges on South African importers due to equipment maintenance and lack of available equipment, further exacerbating economic pressure. Coupled with the severe situation in the Middle East, cargo ships have detoured around the Cape of Good Hope, exacerbating the congestion at the Port of Durban.
All major ports in France are on strike
On June 10, all major ports in France, especially the container hub ports of Le Havre and Marseille-Fos, will face the threat of a month-long strike in the near future, which is expected to cause serious operational chaos and disruptions.
It is reported that during the first strike, at the Port of Le Havre, ro-ro ships, bulk carriers and container terminals were blocked by dock workers, resulting in the cancellation of four ships' berthing and the delay of another 18 ships' berthing. At the same time, in Marseille-Fos, about 600 dock workers and other port workers blocked the main truck entrance to the container terminal. In addition, French ports such as Dunkirk, Rouen, Bordeaux and Nantes Saint-Nazaire were also affected.
Hamburg Port Strike
On June 7, local time, port workers at the Port of Hamburg, Germany, launched a warning strike, resulting in the suspension of terminal operations.
Threat of strikes at ports in the Eastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico
The latest news is that the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) stopped negotiations due to concerns about the use of automatic door systems by APM Terminals, which may trigger a strike by dock workers in the Eastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico. The port deadlock on the East Coast of the United States is exactly the same as what happened on the West Coast in 2022 and most of 2023.
At present, European and American retailers have started to replenish inventory in advance to cope with transportation delays and supply chain uncertainties.
Now the port strike and the shipping company's price increase notice have added instability to the import business of importers. Please make a shipping plan in advance, communicate with the freight forwarder in advance and obtain the latest quotation. Senghor Logistics reminds you that under the trend of price increases on multiple routes, there will not be particularly cheap channels and prices at this time. If there are, the company's qualifications and services are yet to be verified.
Senghor Logistics has 14 years of freight experience and NVOCC and WCA membership qualifications to escort your freight. First-hand shipping companies and airlines agree on prices, no hidden fees, welcome to consult.
Post time: Jun-14-2024
