Week 20 brings good some news for the global supply chain. The Port of Baltimore expects to reopen for container freight sooner than expected and the potential labor strike in Canada is postponed until further notice. However, ongoing challenges with equipment shortages and inclement weather have led to heavy port congestion in China.
PORT CONGESTION: CHINA
Port congestion in China has gradually worsened in recent weeks. This is partly due to vessels arriving off-schedule and bad weather. China’s two main ports experienced extensive closures at the end of April which disrupted port operations and exacerbated the already heavy congestion. Equipment scarcity at some Chinese ports is causing additional congestion and delays.
PORT OF BALTIMORE RECOVERY EFFORTS
Officials are readying for vessel traffic by the end of May. With this positive development, carriers are expected to start calling Baltimore again beginning Week 21.
PANAMA CANAL OPERATIONS
Scheduled maintenance work at the Gatun Locks, set to take place from May 7 to 15, requires a temporary reduction in daily transits from 20 to 17 at the Panamax locks. However, the Canal will implement significant increases in transit capacity, thereafter, raising the total number of daily transits from 24 to 32.
PARIS OLYMPICS 2024
The Olympic and Paralympic Games will have prolonged impacts on traffic in the city of Paris and throughout Île-de-France. These two events will cause traffic impediments starting in mid-April and lasting through October.
Green Worldwide Shipping’s Freight Market Update covers port information, import and export news, vessel wait time and cargo vessels at major ports & more. For continuous updates, make sure to check out our website at greenworldwide.com.
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