Shipping Update

Covid-19 is continuing to impact shipping globally. We are seeing a persistent high demand for bookings from all ports which is being exacerbated by limited equipment availability and vessels being overbooked.

Yantian Port in China has recently been hit by a surge in Covid cases causing delays out of this port due to restriction measures put in place and feeder vessels no longer being accepted from smaller ports.

Only Mother Vessels can now call at Yantian resulting in a greater strain on the surrounding ports, including Nansha, as companies shift their bookings to ports that remain fully open. Yantian port is working to resume normal service as soon possible.

Some carriers are ceasing operations out of outlying ports in order to work through the ever-increasing back log of containers accumulating at origin.

There is a queue of container vessels forming out of Yantian to take cargo on board, which is resulting in delays to vessel schedules at other ports, such as Qingdao. Should your shipment be impacted by this we will ensure you are updated.

India is now working to ease lock down measures put in place following a large surge in cases, however equipment continues to be limited out of Mundra port causing delays to bookings being released.

These delays have been seen across Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent but are also impacting on bookings out of Europe as schedules are delayed and vessels are overbooked.

The continued strain being placed on the capacity and the resources of all carriers across the world is seeing an increase in prices and introduction of various charges to assist with repositioning available equipment to where it is needed most.

Neptune will continue to push for bookings to be released for all shipments and will ensure all clients are kept updated.

Should you have any questions regarding the above please do not hesitate to contact us.

Useful Links:

https://www.indiatoday.in/coronavirus-outbreak/story/india-records-covid-19-cases-active-caseload-lowest-days-1815834-2021-06-17

https://theloadstar.com/yantian-port-logjam-eases-and-normal-service-will-resume-this-month/

https://www.nsa.com/malaysia-lockdown/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172y48sf303hlf