Although Shanghai Port has resumed operations after Typhoon Dolphin, port congestion has not subsided in the short term. As of August 17, a week after the typhoon's impact ended, the average waiting time for ships at Shanghai Port was still over four days. Just as the port backlog was not fully cleared, Maersk issued another port skip notice, cancelling some voyages' scheduled calls to Shanghai. For cargo owners and freight forwarders with recent import/export arrangements at Shanghai Port, the risks of shipping delays, port skips, and repeated container drops remain a concern.
Recently, Maersk announced that recent severe weather has affected sailing plans involving Shanghai Port. Specifically, the planned calls to Shanghai Port for the SEASPAN GUAYAQUIL 627N/632S and AS CALIFORNIA 628N/633S voyages have been cancelled to minimize delays to subsequent voyages. For cargo originally scheduled to load or unload at Shanghai Port via the aforementioned voyages, Maersk stated that the cargo has been arranged to use alternative routes or be transferred to other voyages. For cargo owners, this means that previously confirmed shipping schedules, ports of call, and subsequent transportation arrangements may all change.
Currently, although Shanghai Port has resumed normal operations, the backlog created during the typhoon still needs time to clear. The interplay between port congestion, vessel waiting times, and route adjustments means that the actual shipping schedules for related cargo at Shanghai Port remain highly uncertain in the near future. Therefore, cargo owners with import/export arrangements at Shanghai Port in the near future are advised to promptly confirm with their freight forwarders whether vessels are calling at Shanghai Port as scheduled, whether actual departure times have changed, whether cargo has been rescheduled, and whether alternative routes or transshipment plans need to be prepared in advance. This is especially important for time-sensitive cargo; it is crucial to allow for a transportation buffer in advance to avoid disruptions to subsequent production, delivery, and supply chain arrangements due to port skipping or consecutive container rollovers.
