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There remains no end in sight of the ongoing Protected Industrial Action (PIA) affecting national operations at DP World container terminals. Our teams will continue to provide container specific information to our affected clients.

Due to protracted berth delays, shipping lines’ fixed schedules have been disrupted, resulting in unreliable schedules and/or transit times. In addition, the carrier’s practice of “blanking” sailings has further exacerbated the space situation. The constant changes to schedules, departure dates, and arrival times make it extremely difficult to rely on information updates. As the carriers struggle to push out accurate and timely notices, industry systems often show conflicting information. As always, we will strive to provide reliable and timely information.

In the Panama Canal, congestion has caused delays of up to two weeks for vessels transiting the locks. Since the current drought conditions have caused the lowest water levels on record, congestion has been building in the last 6 months. As a result, ocean carriers adjusted their schedules from Asia and rerouted their services via the Suez Canal in order to avoid these delays. The Suez is a vital artery for container ships and fuel tankers. Goods and fuel from Asia and the Middle East have made their way to Europe and the United States, and vice versa, through the passage since it opened in 1869. Recently, the war in Israel and attacks from the Houthi rebels in Yemen have made the passage through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal extremely dangerous.  Carriers have again changed their routes to move around South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope before crossing the Atlantic to the East Coast. The result is that vessels normally moving from Asia east to and from USA and Europe are now headed west around South Africa increasing the transit times from Southeast Asia by 10 – 12 days and from Central and North China by 3 – 4 weeks.  Moving forward, ocean carriers will continue to monitor the situations in both canals and will adjust and readjust their vessel schedules accordingly.

In the lead-up to Chinese New Year, supply chain challenges will be an unwelcome continuation. Together with you, our teams will find the best available solutions to minimise negative effects.

 

 

 

 

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