Date: 27th September 2023
New Zealand
Imports
- A mechanical issue with a gantry crane on Fergusson container terminal West is causing some delays in working container vessels due to reduced capacity. This is also compounded by labour resourcing issues. Vessels arriving outside their allocated window is also proving disruptive. Obtaining VBS bookings in reasonable time to pick up import containers around the day of discharge is challenging.
- Overall container depot capacity continues to be an unresolved issue with restricted dehire slots being made available at several large Auckland sites leading to delays.
- Pump diesel prices are on the rise, local trucking FAF for October will be 26.4%.
- New Zealand Customs advise an interim increase in processing fees from the 1st of October 2023. This will be reviewed again in 2024.
- Change is in the air for Container Checks Portal (CCP) – Early 2024, Biosecurity NZ will be introducing a new version of the CCP, used for electronic submission of container inspection results by Accredited Persons. This change is required as part of a complete overhaul of our internal border systems to upgrade the technology and to provide a more stable platform for the future. The biggest change will be a requirement to use RealMe to access the system. Having a RealMe login allows you to securely access Government online services and brings the CCP in line with other MPI systems available to external stakeholders. If you already have a RealMe login, it will work for the CCP once it’s set up OR you can set up a login at any time in preparation for the change. There will be some changes to the look and feel of the system that you are familiar with, and we will ensure you are made aware of these changes as we move closer to going live. The basic functionality remains the same – you will be able to enter inspection details for your sea and air containers and manage the Transitional Facilities you are working with as you can now. In addition, we are working on setting up an option for the larger Transitional Facilities to submit their container checks directly from their own in-house container record systems. If you have any questions about this change, please contact info@mpi.govt.nz and keep an eye out for further information in the next few months.
Exports
- Move count restrictions continue to affect Lyttelton and Tauranga, causing late changes to port rotations and some port omissions.
Airfreight
Imports
Australia
- Consols are running as booked. Main deck shipments are taking a little longer to get confirmed space.
Asia
- Consols are running as booked. Space is likely to be very hard to get during the 2nd and 3rd week of October as factories come back online after Golden Week. China Southern are running two freighters at the start of October and taking bookings now.
USA
- Consols are moving as booked. Extra capacity is coming to the market in Summer.
UK and EU
- Consols from main Origins are continuing to work well. We are still waiting on extended tariffs but expect these to come through once schedules are finalized for the Summer.
Import Cargo Terminals
- Terminals are operating as normal.
Exports
Australia
- Still capacity on most carriers. Some delays for main deck bookings but generally moving within a few days. QF and SQ freighter services likely to be suspended during Golden Week (1st week of October).
Asia
- Still enough capacity for all but large main deck shipments, as yet no schedule changes on PAX flights for Golden Week.
USA
- Larger bookings are still difficult to get away immediately. More capacity coming in the summer will solve this.
UK and EU
- Capacity is available via the Middle East, however, Emirates is pushing larger consignments to their twice-weekly freighter services. Very difficult to get main deck space to Europe after the Cargolux strike.
Export Cargo Terminals
- Terminals are operating as normal.
Asia
Imports
- With Golden Week next week (1st – 8th October), both of the direct services from China to New Zealand have opted to blank sailings. Unfortunately, this results in longer transits for anything requiring a pre-carriage sailing that departs later this week or early next.
- Space pressure from North Asia is still a factor, although space is available on most sailings in October at this point.
- Most shipping lines have opted to see what October volumes look like before deciding whether to continue with rate restoration plans.
- Space and rates from South-East Asia remain stable.
Exports
- Equipment availability has been an issue for 40′ containers country wide recently.
- MSC, OOCL, & ONE are the only Carriers currently accepting cargo to the Middle East.
- Berth congestion in North-East Asia is fluctuating. The average is 0.5-1-day delay currently. The berth congestion in South-East Asia is now around 0.5-1 day.
Australia
Imports
- All Australian ports are working with minimal delays of 0.5 days.
- Equipment availability is stable from all ports in Australia.
- On the ANZ Shuttle, the ANL Tasman Trader will call Auckland instead of Tauranga for future arrivals.
Exports
- Melbourne is introducing a calibrated weighing device to check the weight of import containers against the VGM. In the event your container is 1 metric ton or more heavier than the VGM, an AU305 + GST mis-declaration fee will be incurred. This will be in effect from 01.10.2023.
- Ports are now working with a minimal delay of 0-0.5 days.
- The ANZ Shuttle service made an adjustment to add a Noumea call instead of Sydney. The last sailing will be the ANL Tasman Trader v2322.
- Equipment availability has been an issue for 40′ containers country-wide recently.
Europe
Imports
- BMSB Season started again on September 1st and will be in place until April 30th, 2024. The processes and risk countries are the same as last season.
- Low water levels mean barge services into Rotterdam and Antwerp are limited.
- Equipment shortages in Turkey have returned.
- 20′ reefer containers are in low supply across Europe.
- Blank sailings are affecting the regularity of services as they adjust to the lower volumes.
Exports
- There are no reported berthing delays. There is congestion in some container yards.
North America
Imports
- The rotation will be as follow:
Seattle* – Oakland – Los Angeles – Auckland – Sydney – Melbourne – Tauranga – Papeete* – Surrey* – Oakland – Los Angeles – Auckland – Sydney – Melbourne – Adelaide* – Tauranga – Seattle.
*Fortnightly
- Mexico City – Scores of ships are backing up at the Panama Canal, where low water levels linked to El Niño and climate change have led authorities to restrict travel through one of the world’s most important trade arteries.
- The Panama Canal has prolonged delays for shipping lines from the East Coast USA.
- Delays are due to lower water levels linked to El Niño and climate change.
- Some carriers are opting to send East Coast containers via the West Coast.
- Authorities have had no choice by to implement restrictions, max 32 vessels per day allowed to cross to/from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It takes 8-10 hours for a vessel to complete the crossing.
- Restrictions will lift when the rain falls.
- LCL or FCL from Mexico? Please contact your Oceanbridge representative. Mexico is the 9th largest exporter economy in the world.
- Mexico Export – Main products are automotive, tequila, beer, TV’s, computers, vegetables, fruit, and frozen fish.
- Currently no delays or congestion at any of our consolidation warehouses.
- USA Customs targeting NZ/Australia bound containers – this has impacted all export consolidators, causing delays and additional costs. Customs are slow to update us and chasing for progress is impossible. Please call Kayla (+64 3 741 1437) or Michele (+64 21 654 465) if you have any questions. We are here to assist.
Exports
- New York – No waiting time.
- Norfolk – Most vessels berth on arrival. However, the bigger vessels wait approximately 2 days for a berth.
- Charleston Terminal – Waiting time for vessel berthing is 1-2 days at Wando Welch Terminal.
- Savannah – Waiting time for vessel berth at the terminal is up to 4 days, depending on the size of the vessel.
- Houston – Vessels are waiting 1 day for vessel berthing. Due to vessel bunching, the port is facing congestion impacting the discharge productivity and extending port stays.
- Oakland – Vessel waiting time is up to 3 days at Oakland Int’l Container Terminal (OICT).
- Seattle – Vessel waiting time for a berth at Seattle is 3 days. There remains a shortage of rail cars causing delays in onward rail transport. Seattle T18 will be closed on September 29th, 2023.
- Los Angeles – There are no delays in Los Angeles currently.
- Vancouver – There are no delays at Port currently. Rail productivity remains below expectations and there are no immediate plans to increase productivity. Dwell times remain high at 6+ days.
- Panama Canal update – The lower-than-usual water levels in the Gatun Lake are causing severe draft restrictions on vessels transiting the Panama Canal. This has caused a backlog of traffic waiting to pass through. This has not yet impacted vessels departing from NZ.
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Oceanbridge Shipping
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Takapuna 0622, Auckland
www.oceanbridge.com
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