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The Port of Yantian is gradually increasing productivity as more workers return and more berths reopen
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The current average waiting time in Shekou, Nansha, and Hong Kong is between two and four days, but as more carriers omit Yantian, this number is expected to rise
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Yantian yard density has been reduced to 60% from 69% previously, but vessel delays at Yantian port remain at upwards of four days
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At Nansha port, yard density has reached 100% with continued vessel delays at the port seen upwards of four to five days
The queue of vessels waiting to berth at the Port of Yantian in southern China is diminishing but vessels’ schedule reliability remains ‘compromised’, according to the latest updates from Maersk.
“After a six-day stop on export containers, the Port of Yantian is gradually increasing productivity as more workers return and more berths reopen. We welcome the diminishing queue, but schedule reliability remains compromised,” the container shipping liner said in its June 21 advisories on the operations of the ports of Yantian, Shekou and Nansha in the southern province of Guangdong.
Maersk said that as vessels continue to be diverted from Yantian, it is closely monitoring the situation in neighboring ports, which are being affected by the congestion and vessel delays in Yantian.
“The current average waiting time in Shekou, Nansha, and Hongkong is between 2-4 days, but as more carriers omit Yantian, this number is expected to rise,” it said.
Since late May, the ports in Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong have been battling to contain an outbreak in COVID-19 cases, a situation that has generated ripple effects in the supply chain in the form of congestion and vessel delays.
In the latest updates, yard density at Yantian is down to 60% from 69% previously, but Maersk still expects continued vessel delays at Yantian port upwards of four days.
At Yantian International Container Terminal (YICT), operation in the eastern area where mother vessels mainly berth is gradually recovering to about 54% of its normal level said Maersk.
At Nansha port, yard density has reached 100% with continued vessel delays at the port seen upwards of four to five days in the coming week.
From June 21 until further notice, export laden container gate-in at Nansha will be accepted only seven days prior to the vessel’s estimated time of arrival or ETA—and only after the terminal confirms the advance reservation made by trucking companies for laden containers gate-in.
At Shekou port, from June 21 until further notice, export laden container gate-in will be accepted only four days prior to ETA.
On empty containers, Maersk added that 40-foot general purpose (GP) and 40-foot high cube empty supply is negatively impacted with massive vessel delays and omissions in Yantian and Shekou.
Empty operation is suspended at Shekou Greeting Fortune Depot D, while import dry and reefer empty return resumes at Yantian depots.
Due to these disruptions, Maersk said 90 vessels including its partners’ vessels have omitted Yantian and Shekou in order to protect vessel schedule reliability.
Regarding landside service, trucking service into YICT needs to be reserved in advance and export laden containers gate-in are subject to the confirmation issued by YICT.
“As more cargoes are diverted to Nansha and epidemic prevention measures for COVID-19 are also implemented in Guangzhou, we see traffic congestion and it could take 5 hours for empty container pick up or laden container gate-in,” said Maersk.
Photo by Gigel.atat
