A vessel call sign is a unique identifier assigned to a ship for radio communication purposes. It is used to distinguish the vessel from others in maritime communication systems, including VHF radios and satellite communications.
A vessel omission (sometimes called a port omission) occurs when a scheduled vessel does not call at a planned port during its voyage. This disruption means that the vessel skips the port entirely, which can impact the transportation and delivery schedules of goods.
In cargo shipping, vessel rotation is the planned sequence of port calls that a shipping vessel follows on its route to optimize cargo loading and unloading operations.
The timetable of departure and arrival times for each port call on the rotation of the vessel in question.
A journey by sea from one port or country to another one or, in case of a round trip, to the same port.
Warehouse utilization is a logistics metric that refers to the effective use of available warehouse space for storing goods and inventory.
Order for specific transportation work carried out by a third party provider on behalf of the issuing party.
Logistics yard management refers to the process of overseeing and controlling the movement of trucks, trailers, containers, and other vehicles within a yard or distribution center. This includes tasks such as scheduling, tracking, and coordinating the arrival, departure, and storage of these vehicles.
Rising Shipping Rates Having Little Impact on Global Port Congestion
Recent rises in ocean freight rates in response to increased shipping demand have thus far had little impact on global port congestion.
Shipping rates continue to rise globally, causing concern for port congestion (as measured by a combination of vessel anchor and dwell times) in the world’s largest ports. However, aside from the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, the world’s largest container port, the knock-on effects of surging demand for ocean freight have not yet been uniformly experienced across ports in Asia, North America, and Northern Europe.
The Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan has seen a dramatic increase in congestion between April and May 2024, escalating from 4.6 to 8.7 days, while other major ports show varying levels of impact. A detailed analysis of 40 ports across Asia revealed that 22 reported increases in congestion in May compared to April. The average increase for these ports was 6.4 hours. In North America, out of 9 analyzed ports, only 3 (Charleston, Oakland, and Houston) showed month-on-month increases between April and May. In Northern Europe, 5 of 11 analyzed ports reported MoM increases, with Hamburg experiencing the largest rise at just over 10 hours.
Download our latest port congestion report
Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan
The Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan saw port congestion nearly double between April and May 2024, escalating from 4.6 to 8.7 days. This sharp increase continues a trend of worsening congestion at the port this year. As a critical node in global supply chains, the increased congestion at Ningbo-Zhoushan underscores the port's perpetual struggle with high traffic volumes.
Asia
An analysis of 40 ports across Asia revealed that 22 reported increases in congestion in May compared to April. The average increase for these ports was 0.3 days or 6.4 hours. Excluding Ningbo-Zhoushan from the analysis, the average increase drops to below 2 hours, indicating relatively stable conditions across most Asian ports. On a quarterly basis, only 13 out of the 40 analyzed ports reported increased congestion.
North America
In North America, out of 9 analyzed ports, only 3 (Charleston, Oakland, and Houston) showed MoM increases between April and May. Quarterly comparisons indicate that only Charleston and Norfolk experienced congestion increases in Q2 compared to Q1, with Norfolk's rise likely linked to diverted traffic from the nearby Baltimore bridge incident.
Northern Europe
Northern European ports have seen a more pronounced increase in congestion. Out of 11 analyzed ports, 5 reported MoM and QoQ increases. Hamburg experienced the largest rise, with congestion increasing by 0.4 days or just over 10 hours between April and May. Southampton (UK) showed a significant upward trend, with congestion up by 25% from the previous quarter, averaging 1.4 days this quarter.