Typhoon conditions in East and South China continue to affect vessel schedules, with further delays expected. Asia-Europe space remains under pressure, with high fuel costs continuing to affect the market.

Schedules Impacted by Further Typhoon Conditions

Further typhoon activity has affected parts of East and South China this week, adding to the schedule delays already caused by Typhoon Dolphin earlier in the month. With several storms simultaneously moving through the region, weather conditions have continued to affect schedules this week.

The latest impact, from Typhoon Saudel, has affected ports including Ningbo, Qingdao and Shanghai, with closures this week taken in response to worsening weather conditions. While some ports are expected to reopen this weekend as conditions allow, schedules are likely to remain under pressure. Delayed vessels will need to be brought back into rotation, but further bad weather forecast next week could slow the recovery process.

As operations restart, vessels are likely to become bunched together while waiting for berths, which creates further pressure on sailing schedules and onward connections. The situation is also affecting landside container movements, with empty equipment positioning and the return of loaded containers to terminals both affected by congestion and limited truck availability. Even once ports are fully operational again, vessel and container backlogs may take one to two weeks to clear, depending on how the weather develops.

The impact is also being felt beyond China. As vessels leave China later than planned, this is creating bottlenecks at transhipment hubs and affecting onward connections through parts of South East Asia. Some carriers are making operational adjustments to recover schedules where possible, but delays may take time to fully clear.

We continue to see some delayed vessels being routed through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to help recover time. However, this remains limited and does not indicate a wider change in routing, with the majority of vessels still sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.

UK ports are continuing to perform relatively well, and we are not currently seeing any major congestion challenges. However, a number of vessels are arriving off schedule following earlier delays in Asia caused by Typhoon Dolphin.

Fuel Costs and Capacity Pressure Continue

High fuel prices continue to affect global shipping markets, with ongoing uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region still influencing costs. Oil prices remain elevated and are still higher than at the beginning of the month. Fuel-related surcharges therefore remain in place, and wider shipping costs continue to be affected by volatility in energy markets.

Asia-Europe demand remains resilient, with carriers continuing to manage available space closely. Blank sailings are expected to continue through September as shipping lines work to keep supply and demand closely balanced. This means space is likely to remain limited over the coming weeks, with market conditions still under pressure.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your shipment, please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Service Team on  01376 533039 or email [email protected].