Market conditions are gradually improving, with stability now being seen across multiple regions. However, delays in arrivals to Europe and the UK persist due to ongoing port congestion, with Felixstowe Port being particularly affected.

The market is stabilising as capacity pressures ease, a shift that began in China and is now reaching Southeast Asian hub ports. Although these ports are still experiencing congestion, the situation has improved on previous weeks.

US Port Strike Ends

In positive news, the three-day US port strike that posed a risk to global supply chains has come to a swift end. Dock workers reached an agreement with port operators, securing a wage increase of approximately 62%. This agreement suspended the walkout, allowing work to resume immediately.

Current Shipping Challenges

  • Blank Sailings in China: Following Golden Week, when offices and factories in China are closed, carriers have announced blank sailings to balance capacity with reduced demand and stabilise freight rates during this period of lower shipping volumes.

  • Congestion at European Ports and Felixstowe: Delays in vessel arrivals from Asia are causing a backlog, with multiple ships arriving at ports simultaneously. This has resulted in long queues for berths and unreliable arrival times. Felixstowe Port continues to experience unpredictable and varying wait times.

  • Southeast Asia Congestion: Conditions at major Southeast Asian hub ports, such as Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas, and Yangon, are recovering but remain congested. Some disruption to feeder vessel schedules and shipping rotations persists.

Future Outlook

While the situation is improving, recent political developments in the Middle East have further delayed the likelihood of a large-scale return of container ships to the Red Sea region. As a result, we anticipate that carriers will continue to utilise routes around Africa for the foreseeable future, maintaining prolonged transit times. Despite the ongoing challenges, we remain optimistic that conditions will continue to improve, and we will keep our customers informed of any further developments.

If you have any questions or concerns about your shipment, please contact our Customer Service Team at 01376 533039.