New Zealand
AIR TERMINALS
- Both Air NZ and Menzies are currently operating as normal.
- Terminal Fee increases of around 2.5% expected from March/April.
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- Tauranga to Metroport Rail reopening has gone smoothly.
- Ports of Auckland are running well.
- Depots – There are more Container Booking Fee increases being introduced.
- Transport sector saw a 79% increase in business liquidations during 2024. Data source “Centrix January Credit Indicator Report”
- Christchurch and Dunedin – Ports and Depots operating well.
- Extremely informative article about Container Bookings and how they affect the transport industry.
https://www.transporting.nz/books/december-2024#flipbook-december-2024/47/
- Foot and Mouth disease – Germany.
On January 10, 2025, Gemany confirmed its first outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease since 1988. The outbreak was detected in a herd of water buffalo in the district of Brandenburg, near Berlin.
German authorities have notified the World Organization for Animal Health and implemented the appropriate measures to manage the risks.
We have received the message below from MPI animal imports:
At this stage if the consignment from Germany has a production date before 1 November 2024 then MPI will process the consignment in the usual way.
If the consignment from Germany has a production date of 1 November 2024 or later then MPI will carry out further assessment to determine the risk of the product. The consignment will be held at the border until the assessment is completed.
As this is an evolving situation, more information to follow when to hand.
Australia
LANDSIDE & CUSTOMS
- Due to scheduled berth maintenance at Fremantle Container Terminals, please be aware of the following berth shutdowns:
- DP World Terminal: Berth 4 Shutdown / Berth 5 Shutdown: 10th March 2025
- Patrick Terminal: Berth 9 Shutdown: 7th April 2025
- Severe flooding in North Queensland has impacted roads and infrastructure, with flood damage to parts of the
Bruce Highway and collapse of a bridge. Deliveries to this area may be impacted. - Supply of 20’ containers will be in short supply with forecasts of the grain season being the fifth highest on record nationwide and the third highest for WA. Please speak with your Customer Services Representative about
options. - Increases around the Landside and Ancillary IFS charges at Australian ports in January 2025.
Asia
AIR
- Imports – Consols are moving as booked, with capacity available on most carriers.
- Exports – Consols are moving as booked, with capacity available on most carriers.
OCEAN
- A quiet few weeks whilst the Lunar New Year celebrations and holidays have taken place, we are now starting to see China come back online with most factories firing back up from today. Plenty of space available to book right now, but forward bookings from today will definitely set the tone for the trajectory of the rates over the next 6 – 8 weeks.
- Congestion in Singapore and Malaysia caused by the late blanking of the CMA CGM Marlin seems to now be back under control with normal service now resuming.
- Port congestion in Colombo is significant and causing delays of 2+ weeks. Other transshipment ports are operating with minimal delays.
- Space remains tight on most services to and via Asian ports. We recommend booking at least 6 weeks in advance in order to secure. Some Carriers are fully booked to March.
Trans-Tasman
AIR
- Imports – Consols are moving as booked, with capacity available on most carriers.
- Exports – Consols are moving as booked, with capacity available on most carriers.
OCEAN
- There are 20ft equipment shortages ex Adelaide.
- Maersk have a shortage of 20ft equipment ex Sydney.
- The USA blank sailings will become a problem for shipments ex Adelaide. If necessary, containers may need to rail to Melbourne.
- Most New Zealand export services are experiencing increased demand, extending booking lead times. Vessels are heavily booked, especially from Auckland.
Europe
AIR
- Imports – Consols are moving as booked with capacity available on most carriers.
- Exports – Consols are moving as booked with capacity available on most carriers.
OCEAN
- BMSB season started on September 1st with the same policies and procedures as last year.
- There have been reports of Houthi Rebels stopping their attacks on the Red Sea but unfortunately Maersk and CMA have not announced any return to the Suez Canal, so for now services continue to sail around the 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.
- Maersk’s main service from the UK has moved from Felixstowe port to London Gateway. This should see an improvement to service regularity as Felixstowe has been very congested for the last 6 months.
- Maersk have removed the popular Rotterdam and Hamburg 45-day routing via Panama.
- There are equipment shortages in Turkey.
- 20’ reefers are in low supply across Europe.
- Unions in Le Havre port have announced they will have an intermittent strike on 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 26, and 28 February. This will mean vessels could bunch up as they thread their port calls through the reaming days that the port can operate.
- Vessels are heavily booked for NZ export services. Bookings need to be made 5-6 weeks in advance.
- Foot and Mouth disease – Germany.
On January 10 2025, Gemany confirmed its first outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease since 1988. The outbreak was detected in a herd of water buffalo in the district of Brandenburg, near Berlin.
German authorities have notified the World Organization for Animal Health and implemented the appropriate measures to manage the risks.
We have received the below message from MPI animal imports:
At this stage if the consignment from Germany has a production date before 1 November 2024 then MPI will process the consignment in the usual way.
If the consignment from Germany has a production date of 1 November 2024 or later then MPI will carry out further assessment to determine the risk of the product. The consignment will be held at the border until the assessment is completed.
As this is an evolving situation, more information to follow when to hand.
North America
AIR
- Imports – Consols are moving as booked, with capacity available on most carriers.
- Public holiday in the USA 17th February.
- Exports – Consols are moving as booked, with capacity available on most carriers.
- Public holiday in the USA 17th February.
OCEAN
- Vancouver vessel berthing delays have reduced to 3-5 days. Import rail dwell average has increased from 5.5 to 7.1 days and delays are expected to remain as the terminal continues to recover from the recent industrial action. Rail car supply has improved. Severe winter conditions are impacting rail services.
- 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 6+ weeks in advance of departure. Congestion at all transshipment points is causing delays.
- West Coast North America – The service is heavily booked with Vancouver departures full until the Mate 510N, ETD Tauranga March 27th.
- Seattle sailings – After the Long Beach Express 503N ETD Tauranga 7th February, the next departure is not until March 6th due to a blank sailing in week 8.
- US to NZ services – there is space available for booking. Please contact your Oceanbridge representative for more details.
- Container availability in the US is good.
- US Terminal Operations:
- New York – berthing delays of up to 2.5 days
- Charleston – berthing delay of up to 2.5 days
- Savannah – average wait time for a berth is 4 days
- Houston – waiting time up to 2 days for a berth
- Oakland – berthing delays, port congestion is seeing an average of 4 days for uplifting containers from port.
- Seattle – No berthing delays. Terminal 18 is now open 5 days per week having previously closed on Fridays. Rail import dwell time is 1-3 days.
- Long Beach – Congestion on port is seeing delays of 4-8 days
