New Zealand
AIR TERMINALS
- Air NZ have introduced a new induction system for drivers and is expected to cause delays as we head into the Christmas and New Year period.
- Menzies is currently operating as normal.
- Likely changes to improve efficiency, security and safety are expected to be implemented in the near future, and they could lead to congestion and slower processing times. The increased traffic during this busy holiday season, combined with the potential transition to these new changes, may exacerbate delays.
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- The Port of Auckland have issued a revised tariff effective from 01 January 2025. As part of the tariff revision, regrettably VBS booking fees are increasing significantly for full & empty containers. In order to reflect the difference in actual VBS cost for containers via Metroport versus containers via Port of Auckland, the VBS amount billed per container will reduce for containers via Metroport and increase for containers via Port of Auckland.
- Kiwirail have firmed up Auckland rail line closure dates, the first from the 27th December 2024 to 27th January 2025. It will mean the rail service between Port of Tauranga and Metroport will terminate in Hamilton with containers bound for destination Metroport being carried from Hamilton by ‘road bridge’ from the Hamilton rail siding to Metroport. Kiwirail have advised they are confident effective solutions are in place with supporting partners to carry out road bridging for the month. If there are any particularly urgent container(s) arriving for destination Metroport during the closure, please contact your usual Oceanbridge contact in advance.
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) season started again on 1st September and runs to 30th April 2025. This means MPI has extra requirements for imported cargo from countries that have BMSB populations. Broadly, the procedures and requirements are the same as last season. This means for our LCL containers from Japan, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Spain, we can only take cargo that is either low risk (eg food) or high risk goods (eg auto parts) that are accompanied by a declaration that the cargo was manufactured indoors and stored indoors prior to export. FCL loads from any of these countries also need to comply:
– Target list countries:
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America
Please speak to your Oceanbridge customer service representative about treatment types and requirements.
- Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Goods) Levy rate changes from 1st January 2025.
From 1st January 2025, changes to the Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Goods) Levy will decrease levy rates. No additional items will be levied with this year’s update.
The Climate Change (Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Levies) Amendment Regulations 2024 (Schedule 2) sets out the levy rate changes.
Find out more on the Ministry for the Environment’s website: https://environment.govt.nz/
- New excise and excise-equivalent duty rates for tobacco, tobacco products, and heated tobacco products from 1st January 2025.
The annual indexation increase to excise and excise-equivalent duty rates will take place on 1st January 2025. The reduced excise and excise-equivalent duty rates on heated tobacco products will also be made permanent and indexed on 1st January 2025.
These increases will raise excise and excise-equivalent duty rates on tobacco, tobacco products, and heated tobacco products by 2.23 percent.
The Ministry of Health is continuing to monitor the impact of the reduced excise rates on heated tobacco products as part of the 12-month trial period.
Australia
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- Currently, 20’ containers are in short supply across multiple carriers for exports from Australia. Please speak with your Customer Services Representative for options.
- Impending increases around the Landside and Ancillary charges at Australian ports in January 2025.
- Patrick, DP World, and Vict. complied with this requirement giving 60 days’ notice for their increased charges commencing 1 January 2025. Furthermore, Patrick and DP World who operate stevedore operations nationally, also announced their increases in Brisbane, Port Botany and Fremantle.
- BMSB Season in Australia started 1st September 2024 and runs until 30th April 2025 (inclusive). Measures closely replicate those of last year, with the addition of China and United Kingdom being identified as emerging risk countries (subject to random inspection). Treatment will be required for all cargo from or transshipping via Target Risk Countries. Please speak to your local Oceanbridge representative about treatment types and requirements.
– Target list countries:
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China (heightened vessel surveillance only), Croatia, Czechia, France, Japan (heightened vessel surveillance only), Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea (heightened vessel surveillance only), Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United States of America, Uzbekistan
Asia
AIR
- Imports – Capacity issues persist from many origins due to ocean delays and the conversion of shipments to air transport, particularly from Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
– Rates are fluctuating due to high demand and limited capacity.
– Singapore Airlines are experiencing backlogs and capacity constraints within the Asia region, resulting in potential delays. - Exports – Consolidated shipments are moving as planned, with capacity available on most carriers.
OCEAN
- Port workers across all of India are planning to go on strike with indefinite work stoppages being proposed across all major ports in India from 17 December. As this is widespread industrial action, there is not much that can be done to mitigate the impacts to orders moving however we are hopeful, given the long lead time into this, a resolution can be achieved and any disruption is avoided. Should this go ahead, it is likely that there will be significant pressure on the airfreight network, so it is worth beginning conversations now should there be any urgent need to move cargo.
- Adverse weather conditions in North Asia has caused a lot of disruption to schedules which has resulted in a number of port omissions in Asia and New Zealand in order to get vessels back on schedule.
- We are now in a slight lull with vessels relatively open over the next week or so (with those vessels arriving during the Christmas/New Year break) however, bookings for sailings beyond those arrivals (late December) are still strong and we expect this to continue right through January in the lead up to the Lunar New Year celebrations (beginning 29 January 2025).
- Port congestion remains an issue in the major transshipment ports and second leg transits are being affected by this.
- Space remains tight on some NZ export services to Asia. We recommend booking at least 3 weeks in advance in order to secure. Please check with your customer service representative for options.
Trans-Tasman
AIR
- Imports – Space is at a premium as we head into the festive season. Express rates are available for urgent shipments.
- Some delays are possible on our consolidation services due to high demand at this time of year.
- Due to ongoing challenges with Aircraft Engines, Air New Zealand will be down-grading aircrafts on the NAN & SYD Sectors, along with ad hoc changes to other airports serviced.
- Exports – Consolidations are moving as planned, with capacity available on most carriers.
- Due to ongoing challenges with Aircraft Engines, Air New Zealand will be down-grading aircrafts on the NAN & SYD Sectors, along with ad hoc changes to other airports serviced.
OCEAN
- Oceanbridge are happy to announce our new direct LCL/FAK service between Melbourne and Tauranga – your central North Island bound cargo no longer needs to be unpacked in Auckland, saving both time and cost. Please just let us know if you would like to make a booking by emailing: james.gatley@oceanbridge.com.
- Cosco and OOCL have added a third vessel to their ANE service. The “Pride C” joined the service November 21st, enabling a weekly direct schedule between Melbourne, Bell Bay, Sydney, Auckland, and Tauranga.
- Most export services are experiencing increased demand extending booking lead times. Vessels are heavily booked, especially from Auckland.
- There are 20ft equipment shortages ex Adelaide.
- The USA blank sailings will become a problem for shipments ex Adelaide. If necessary, containers may need to rail to Melbourne.
- Most export services are experiencing increased demand extending booking lead times. Vessels are heavily booked, especially from Auckland.
Europe
AIR
- Imports – The UK consol is coming via Japan due to US TSA restrictions and airfreight rates have been increased from most of EU origins.
- We are currently experiencing delays in transit from Frankfurt, London, and Milan, with the potential for these to increase throughout November and December.
- Exports – Consolidations are moving as planned, with available capacity on most carriers.
OCEAN
- BMSB season started on September 1st with the same policies and procedures as last year. Also refer to the ‘New Zealand’ and ‘Australia’ sections of our View from the Bridge for in depth detail on requirements, restrictions, and target countries.
- On-going attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have made all container carriers to NZ avoid the Suez Canal until further notice. There will be delays of approximately 2 weeks and extra costs as shipping lines reroute via Cape of Good Hope.
- Vessels are off window arriving into Europe from the Cape. On time arrivals are as low as 21%. This is causing the weekly schedules to be disrupted. This is particularly bad from the UK, where containers are regularly being left behind at the terminal.
- Maersk have suspended the popular Antwerp 45-day routing via Panama. This is now routed via Asia at 58 days transit until further notice.
- Container shortages are happening particularly at depots that are further inland, e.g., Czech Republic, Austria.
- There are equipment shortages in Turkey.
- 20’ reefers are in low supply across Europe.
- Congestion in Singapore is causing delays in transit of 1-2 weeks.
North America
AIR
- Imports – We are starting to see some delays in transit and offloads due to capacity. Despite reduced capacity, delays are generally within 24-48 hours.
- Most consol shipments are progressing as expected. For LAX, please anticipate adding one additional day to the estimated time of arrival.
- Due to ongoing challenges with Aircraft Engines, Air New Zealand will be withdrawing 1-2 flights per week from both LAX & SFO.
- Exports – Consols are moving as booked with capacity available on most carriers.
- Air Canada returned on the 1st of December.
- Due to ongoing challenges with Aircraft Engines, Air New Zealand will be withdrawing 1-2 flights per week to both LAX & SFO.
OCEAN
- Vancouver Port Strikes – Operations at all marine terminals in Vancouver are demonstrating robust productivity. Railcar supply remains strong, supporting recovering efforts. Clearing the backlog of vessels is anticipated to take an additional 2-3 weeks.
- US East Coast & Gulf International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Negotiations – The ILA and the USMX will resume Master Contract discussions in November 2024, to discuss all outstanding issues to reach a new agreement. The two sides extended the Master Contract until January 15, 2025, and reached a tentative agreement on wages that is contingent on bargaining all open issues. The two sides will not discuss details of negotiations with the media prior to these meetings.
- Panama Canal services for ANP/OC1 service – Continuing low lake levels in the Panama canal are adversely affecting vessel deadweight capacity. Space is restricted and vessels are booked 4+ weeks in advance of departure.
- West Coast North America – There are only 3 WSN departures every month until the end of January 2025. All vessels are heavily booked.
- US & Canada Port Congestion – Norfolk and Charleston have a berthing wait time of 3 days and Savannah has a wait time of 5 days. Other ports are operating without delay.
- Ongoing container rollings and blank sailings ex the USA are due to multiple factors:
- Maersk removing one of their vessels, from 10 down to 9.
- ANL have drydocked a vessel and have not put in a replacement, so this brings it down to currently 8 vessels. We should be back to 9 vessels sometime in December, and on our way to schedule integrity, when the ANL vessel rejoins the service Northbound.
- Maersk mass rollings from the Seattle Express is due to issues between the carrier and the terminal. As below
received from Maersk:
There was an EDI transmission issue causing Maersk to not receive VGM details from the port. As a result, 50+
containers rolled from the Seattle Express 443S to the Mate 445S.
