Port Congestion Update 08/13/21

Weekly Vessels Anchored and at Terminals as of 08/13/2021

LA & LB: Anchored 34 | Terminal 26
Oakland: Anchored 3 | Terminal 6 | Coastal 4
NWSA: Anchored 8 | Terminal 8 | Drifting 0

Vessel Congestion Update
The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to anchor arriving containerships in Los Alamitos Bay. Anchorage wait time is currently ranged from 4.6 – 8.33 days. The Marine Exchange of Southern California indicates congestion is on the rise at the four major ports in Southern California which include: Port Hueneme, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, and the El Segundo marine petrol terminal. The vessel count has not dropped below 100 since mid-July but not all are container vessels.

A recent survey indicated the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Vietnam all have severe congestion. At the world’s two largest ports: the port of Ningbo and Shanghai, many container vessels are anchored as congestion continues to grow. On August 11, 2021, Splash reported the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan started to turn ships away after a dock worker tested positive for COVID-19. The individual was part of the workforce at Ningbo Meidong Container Terminal.

As the delta variant spreads, China is expected to reinstate COVID restrictions. Since July, community spread infections were confirmed in half of China’s provinces, sparking mass testing operations and localized lockdowns. What happened in May at the Port of Yantian may be repeated in Ningbo and Shanghai, where operations were reduced to 70%. According to Splash’s August 9th issue: “ships are backing up across five continents.”

In Oakland, on August 6, 2021, it was announced that the port has two additional first-call services. First calls are where shipping lines make their initial U.S. stop after sailing from Asia. The Wan Hai Lines route connects Northern California with China and Taiwan. The service, called the AA5, commenced on August 8, 2021, linking Oakland with three Asian ports: Kaohsiung, Ningbo, and Qingdao. 

Additionally, on July 27, 2021, the launch of an Oakland-China first-call service was announced and is operated by Matson Lines. The Matson service will call at the Chinese ports in Ningbo and Shanghai. Now, with three first calls initiated in 2021, this will enable Oakland to provide more immediate access to cargo. The move will be considered discretionary, as containers are usually discharged at the first U.S. stop, then shipped inland via rail. Oakland indicates it has ample rail capacity to ship import loads to the interior. Importers are increasingly using the port in Northern California as consumer demand grows stronger. The area has added e-commerce retailers who have established distribution centers near the port.

Please contact your Western Overseas representative with any questions.