New Zealand
AIR TERMINALS
- Import cargo terminals are operating as normal.
- Export terminals are operating as normal.
LANDSIDE
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) season starts again on 1st September and runs to 30th April 2025. This means MPI has extra requirements for imported cargo from countries with 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.
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. - Road works and road closures continue to affect deliveries in Melbourne and are anticipated to continue throughout August.
- BMSB Season in Australia will commence, for all goods shipped effective from 1st September 2024 to 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
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. Singapore Airlines is also experiencing backlogs and
capacity constraints within the Asia region, resulting in potential delays. - Exports – Capacity is available on most carriers, to most destinations.
OCEAN
- With Golden Week just over a month away (1 – 7 October), the pressure is very much on space out of China and North Asia with all shipping lines now strictly holding all contracts to allocation and a few, have abandoned contracts altogether. Any orders that are still not booked may need to be booked on alternate contracts in order to get them out prior to Golden Week.
- Empty container availability at origin seems less of a challenge in the past few weeks, with new equipment being added in constantly to help alleviate any issues. We still may see issues at times, but it is positive to see it improving.
- Shipping Lines are all pushing NOR options as a means to get bookings away, we encourage anyone with urgent or cost-sensitive cargo to consider this as an option.
- Congestion through major ports in Asia has resulted in some delays in scheduling, we expect this to continue for the foreseeable future, though the hope is with new vessels coming into services, this is improved over time as shipping lines look to bolster services.
- MSC will be altering their service to Asia from August. The Capricorn and Kiwi Express service will be temporarily suspended, and the Wallaby service enhanced and reinstated between NZ, Australia and North Asia. Other global destinations such as the Middle East and South East Asia will transship via Melbourne. Please contact the trade manager for further details.
- Port congestion remains an issue in the major transshipment ports and second leg transits will be affected by this.
- ANL has announced an export General Rate increase to Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East and Gulf effective from 1st September 2024. The increase to South-East Asia will be USD 100/20 & USD 200/40 while the increase to Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Gulf will be USD 500/20 & USD 1000/40.
- Space remains tight on some export services to Asia – we recommend booking at least 2 weeks in advance in order to secure. Please check with your customer service representative for options.
Trans-Tasman
AIR
- Imports – Consols are moving as booked, but carriers are at full capacity. Securing additional space for larger adhoc
shipments is challenging. - Exports – Consol shipments are proceeding as scheduled, with capacity generally available across most carriers.
OCEAN
- MSC will temporarily suspend the Capricorn and Kiwi Express service from August and the Wallaby service will be enhanced. There will now be direct calls import from Sydney & Melbourne to New Zealand as well as export to Melbourne as well as Brisbane. Nelson will be serviced by the Noumea service and will connect in Tauranga with the Wallaby. Port Chalmers will continue to be serviced by the OC1/OC2 service and also connect in Tauranga
with the Wallaby. Please contact the trade manager for further details. - The ANL Kiwi Trader will phase into the ANZ Shuttle service in early September. This vessel will replace the Contship Win to allow a regular and reliable weekly call into Auckland.
- ANL have announced a General Rate increase to and from Brisbane effective from 1st September. The increase will be USD 150/20 & USD 300/40 NZ-BNE and BNE-NZ of USD 100/20 & USD 200/40’.
- Zim at this point will not have a service going forward to or from Australia, and the last sailings are in September
- Space for 20GP’s with Maersk are slim to none out of all Australian ports. This situation is likely to continue.
Europe
AIR
- Imports – Consols from Frankfurt and Milan are moving efficiently. However, there have been a few transit delays from London and certain EU countries due to congestion at transshipment ports.
- Exports – Capacity into Europe is currently tight. Some Airlines have reduced their services due to ongoing Iranian airspace closures and unrest in the Middle East.
OCEAN
- BMSB season will re-start on September 1st with the same policies and procedures as last year. Please refer to the
‘New Zealand’ and ‘Australia’ sections above for specific detail. - On-going attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have made all container carriers to NZ continue to avoid the Suez Canal until further notice. There will be delays of approximately 2-3 weeks and extra costs as shipping lines go re-route via Cape of Good Hope.
- Bad weather around the Cape of Good Hope has delayed some vessels.
- Container shortages are happening particularly at depots that are further inland, e.g. Czech Republic, Austria
- Rates from Europe have increased in line with extra demand and longer routings absorbing capacity.
- Asia transship ports are congested, leading to delays of 3+ weeks.
- There are equipment shortages in Turkey.
- 20’ reefers are in low supply across Europe.
- General rate increases and peak season surcharges are being applied to NZ export services to Europe and The Middle East.
North America
AIR
- Imports – Most consol shipments are progressing as expected. For LAX, please anticipate adding one additional day to the estimated time of arrival. Despite reduced capacity, delays are generally within 24 to 48 hours and are
not expected to exceed this timeframe. - Exports – Space is currently constrained for shipments into the United States, with limited availability until early October when US carriers return for the summer season.
OCEAN
- Panama Canal services for ANP/OC1 service with Hapag Lloyd, Maersk and MSC – Continuing low lake levels in the Panama Canal is adversely affecting vessel deadweight capacity. Space is restricted and vessels are booked 3-4 weeks in advance of departure.
- Reminder – The ANP/OC1 service with Hapag Lloyd, Maersk and MSC no longer has a direct Charleston SC call. This has been replaced by Savannah GA. Transshipment services are now available for Charleston, SC.
- West Coast North America:
- There are only 3 WSN departures in September and also now in October as the CMA CGM Seattle is going into dry dock. The Seattle service is worst affected. After the Wide India 432N, ETD Tauranga 5th September, the next sailing is the Cap Jackson, ETD Tauranga 3rd October. All vessels are heavily booked with booking lead times of 3+ weeks.
- Los Angeles terminal change; Reminder, vessels are now calling Long Beach and not Los Angeles.
- USA Rail Services; Seattle rail car supply is severely deficient, leading to higher import rail dwell times, with no improvement expected throughout August and most of September.
- Canadian Rail Services; Over the weekend, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) issued a mandate preventing any additional labour stoppages, including strikes or lockouts, during the arbitration process. Consequently, the strike notice issued by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) to CN on August 23rd has been voided. CN and CPKC will adhere to the CIRB directive, and both companies have now resumed railway operations in Canada as of 00:01 ET on Monday, August 26, 2024. Delays can be expected as the rail partners work towards their respective recovery plans in restoring fluidity in the supply chain. Please keep in mind that the situation continues to be very fluid, and details are subject to change.
- A possible strike on the East Coast Ports, affecting Savannah Ports, is being planned for the 1st of October. Negotiations are ongoing. We will share updates as they are made available.
- Imports from the USA will attract a US 35 per B/L BMSB admin fee due to necessary documentation and extra admin.
