Following a series of typhoon disruptions in East China during the month of August, major ports including Shanghai and Ningbo continue to experience congestion and operational recovery challenges. Industry reports indicate that vessel schedules, yard operations, and equipment circulation remain affected as terminals work through accumulated backlogs from successive storm events.
Current vessel waiting times are reported at up to twelve days at Shanghai Yangshan Terminal, approximately seven to eight days at Shanghai Waigaoqiao, and three to five days at Ningbo, while yard utilization at key terminals remains near capacity, contributing to longer truck turnaround times and container handling delays.
As a result, customers may experience vessel schedule delays, longer transit times, cargo rollovers due to space constraints, port omissions, revised transshipment arrangements, equipment shortages, terminal gate congestion, delays in container pick-up and delivery, and changes to estimated arrival dates.
Industry sources currently expect congestion recovery to take approximately three to four weeks, potentially overlapping with the traditional pre-National Day shipping rush in September, which could result in continued schedule volatility in the coming weeks.
It is not China alone that is experiencing congestion. Freight platform Freightos has reported carriers omitting Shanghai port calls entirely due to severe congestion, with multi-day delays also affecting Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Analysts have separately flagged mounting pressure on transit slots at the Panama Canal and equipment-related congestion at South Africa’s Durban port, suggesting capacity strain is building across more than one global chokepoint all at once.
For shippers and logistics teams navigating global trade, the practical risk extends beyond delayed vessels. Vessel bunching after each closure increases the likelihood of blanked sailings, rolled cargo and containers being bumped from bookings altogether. This disruption can ripple through inland transport networks long after a port itself reopens.
With typhoon season in the region typically running into October, it is a realistic near-term risk that Shanghai and Ningbo could be hit with yet further disruption in the coming months.
Reference:
https://www.oocllogistics.com/eng/newsinsights/news/2026/Pages/20260819.aspx
https://supplychaindigital.com/news/congested-chinese-ports-cause-supply-chain-operation-issues
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