Shipping Outlook

The pressure building across Asia is continuing to flow through the supply chain, with congestion, weather disruption and vessel delays creating further uncertainty for Australian imports.

Shanghai and Ningbo remain key areas to watch. Global container port congestion has now reached more than 4.3 million TEU waiting to berth, according to Linerlytica, exceeding the previous COVID-era peak.

Further typhoon activity across China is adding to the pressure. While vessels generally move away from affected areas during severe weather, getting back on schedule afterwards can take time. Port omissions and vessel delays can also leave containers sitting on terminals, creating a knock-on effect across subsequent sailings.

There is also a build-up of cargo at key transhipment ports in Singapore and Malaysia, adding further pressure to already extended transit times into Australia.

This disruption is also feeding into freight rates, with shipping lines increasing September rates again as capacity tightens and schedules remain under pressure.

We are now seeing some of that disruption flow through to Fremantle, with vessel bunching becoming increasingly noticeable. Several vessels are arriving within shorter windows, while others are waiting offshore at anchorage for their turn to berth.

This can place additional pressure on terminals, transport availability and empty container movements, potentially leading to delays in container availability and deliveries.

For importers, published transit times should be treated as estimates rather than guarantees. With schedules and capacity under pressure, booking early and allowing some flexibility around delivery timing is increasingly important.

It could get tighter before it gets better.

Thanks - Amanda