Port Congestion Disrupting China’s Major Export Hubs

Severe congestion is continuing to disrupt operations at several major Chinese ports following a series of significant storms this year.

The weather disruption, combined with the additional pressure of the Asia peak season, has created substantial backlogs. As a result, vessel bunching, port omissions, restricted collection and delivery windows, and limited equipment availability are now affecting supply chains across the region. Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian and Shekou are among the worst-affected ports.

In Shanghai, vessel waiting times are exceeding five days, with some carriers omitting calls from selected services. Terminals are currently accepting export containers only for vessels scheduled to depart within two to three days, creating further challenges for container transport operations.

Average waiting times at Ningbo have recently reached three to four days. Export gate restrictions also remain in place, with cargo generally accepted only for vessels sailing within three days.

Yantian and Shekou are experiencing similar disruption, with vessels waiting an average of four to five days during the past week. Export gate bookings are currently permitted for vessels scheduled to sail within seven days.

The wider consequences include extended transit times, rolled or short-shipped cargo, last-minute schedule changes and equipment shortages. Unfortunately, backlogs of this scale will take time to clear, even once weather conditions and port operations improve.

Westbound continues to encourage customers to book early and include additional lead time within their planning. For particularly urgent orders, please speak to our team about whether alternative routing may be viable.

With conditions remaining fluid, Westbound teams in the UK and China are monitoring ports and schedules closely and working tirelessly to minimise supply chain disruption wherever possible.