Freight market update - 10 July 2025

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• The World Shipping Council (WSC) reported 576 containers lost at sea in 2024.

• According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority, three major incidents near the Cape caused most of the container losses.

• Around 200 containers—or 35% of the total losses—came from this region alone.

• In 2025, WSC will introduce the industry’s first cargo screening system to detect misdeclared dangerous goods—a major cause of onboard fires.

• By 2026, all carriers will be required to report container losses under new International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations.

• A new Sea-Intelligence study shows that port size and connectivity do not correlate with reliability.

• The study analyzed over 14 years of vessel call data from 202 major deep-sea ports.

• Among the 20 busiest ports, the average reliability ranking was 124th with a 60.3% on-time rate.

• Major ports like Shanghai (169th), Singapore (145th), Rotterdam (106th), Los Angeles (124th), and Long Beach (155th) ranked poorly.

• In June, intra-Asia shipping rates surged due to strong cargo demand from China to Southeast Asia and other regional routes.

• Industry executives are hopeful that the elevated demand may continue into the second half of 2025.

• Port Klang and Singapore are operating at 95% and 85% yard utilization respectively, which is affecting terminal efficiency.

Read on for more in-depth updates.

Asia → North America

US/CA

Transpacific Trends and Market Updates

• In June, intra-Asia shipping rates surged due to strong cargo demand from China to Southeast Asia and other regional routes.
• This increase occurred despite ocean carriers adding significant capacity to the market.
• Industry executives are hopeful that the elevated demand may continue into the second half of 2025.
• Rates from China to Southeast Asia are now at their highest since December.
• The surge in pricing is linked to paused U.S. tariffs and sustained economic growth in Southeast Asia.
• A logistics executive noted that Chinese investment and expansion in the region have supported higher outbound shipments.
• According to Xeneta’s chief analyst Peter Sand, intra-Asia cargo demand rose 6.6% in the first four months of 2025.
• Exports from China to other Far East countries increased by 15% year-over-year during this period.
• China’s Golden Week holiday (October 1–7) may cause future disruptions to intra-Asia flows.
• Because of shorter transit times, any Golden Week impact may be delayed in intra-Asia compared to long-haul routes.
• On longer routes, rates to India reached their highest level in six months.
• Shipping rates from China to Dubai have jumped 35% since January.
• Sand attributes this rise to elevated operating costs stemming from the Middle East conflict.
• Despite a 9% capacity increase since February, carriers are facing equipment shortages.
• Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong in Vietnam are currently experiencing container shortages.
• Chinese ports like Shanghai, Ningbo, and Shenzhen also face equipment constraints.
• Taiwanese port Kaohsiung is similarly affected by a lack of available containers.
• Chittagong (Bangladesh) is facing serious congestion, with gearless vessels waiting 6–7 days and 13 vessels currently anchored awaiting berths.
• Singapore (PSA) remains heavily congested, with average waiting times exceeding 2 days, although CMA group vessels are seeing shorter delays of about 1 day.
• Port Klang (Malaysia) is experiencing significant berth congestion, with delays of 2–3 days compounded by 95% yard utilization.
• Chinese ports such as Lianyungang, Ningbo, and Qingdao have experienced closures of up to 17 hours due to dense fog.
• Ports like Shanghai YS1 and Qingdao (QQCT/QQCTU) are facing 2-day delays from heavy berth congestion and vessel bunching.
• Shekou and Yantian are showing signs of recovery, though delays remain at around 0.5 to 1 day.
• Port Klang and Singapore are operating at 95% and 85% yard utilization respectively, which is affecting terminal efficiency.
• Vietnam’s HICT terminal is at 90–95% utilization, and Cat Lai is at 87%, both contributing to minor berth congestion.
• Loading vessels are being prioritized, causing delays for net discharging vessels at these ports.
• PSA Singapore continues to face significant congestion, with general berth waiting times exceeding 2 days.
• CMA group vessels are faring better, with average waiting times reduced to about 1 day during week 26.
• The CMA group's transshipment (T/S) inventory on the ground increased to approximately 57.8k TEUs.
• Overall yard density at PSA remains high, currently around 85%.
• To maintain yard efficiency, PSA is prioritizing loading vessels, which may lead to longer wait times for net dischargers.

Turkey → North America

• A new Sea-Intelligence study shows that port size and connectivity do not correlate with reliability.
• The study analyzed over 14 years of vessel call data from 202 major deep-sea ports.
• Port rankings were based on schedule reliability, with recent years weighted more heavily to predict future performance.
• Vessel call volume was also considered, as more port calls increase the likelihood of delays.
• “The more port calls in a month, the more chances there are for something to go wrong,” noted the analyst.
• Santa Marta in Colombia ranked as the most reliable port with a 94.5% on-time rate.
• Paita (Peru), Puerto Bolivar (Ecuador), Puerto Moin (Costa Rica), and Fort-de-France (Martinique) completed the top five.
• Smaller ports consistently outperformed larger hubs in reliability rankings.
• Of the top 20 ports, 12 were in Central and South America, 6 in Europe, and none in Asia.
• This finding contrasts with Alphaliner’s 2024 ranking, which placed Asia’s ports as the largest by volume.
• Among the 20 busiest ports, the average reliability ranking was 124th with a 60.3% on-time rate.
• Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelepas was the only high-traffic port in the top 60, ranking 46th.
• Major ports like Shanghai (169th), Singapore (145th), Rotterdam (106th), Los Angeles (124th), and Long Beach (155th) ranked poorly.
• Sea-Intelligence emphasized that schedule reliability is more affected by vessel operations than by port infrastructure.
• Nonetheless, port reliability still serves as a valuable metric for overall performance.
• “The most well-connected ports in global trades are often the most unreliable,” said Sea-Intelligence CEO Alan Murphy.
• Murphy added that even though vessels dictate much of the schedule, port reliability remains a relevant indicator.

North America → Turkey

• The World Shipping Council (WSC) reported 576 containers lost at sea in 2024.
• This is more than double the 221 containers lost in 2023.
• However, it’s still below the 10-year average of 1,274 containers lost annually.
• The rise in losses is mainly due to trade rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, as Red Sea shipping remains uncertain.
• Transits via the Cape have surged by 191%, exposing ships to extreme weather and dangerous sea conditions.
• According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority, three major incidents near the Cape caused most of the container losses.
• Around 200 containers—or 35% of the total losses—came from this region alone.
• Joe Kramek, President and CEO of WSC, stated that despite stronger preventive measures, the Cape’s harsh conditions remain a major challenge.
• Nonetheless, only 0.0002% of the estimated 250 million containers shipped worldwide were lost, underscoring the industry’s high safety standards.
• In 2025, WSC will introduce the industry’s first cargo screening system to detect misdeclared dangerous goods—a major cause of onboard fires.
• By 2026, all carriers will be required to report container losses under new International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations.
• “This year’s report shows that the vast majority of containers are moved safely across oceans—but even one container lost is one too many,” Kramek said.

Terminal Updates

Vessels heading to North America via the North Atlantic Sea are expected to have a change in schedule due to severe weather conditions.

New York:

• The waiting time for all vessels calling APMT is up to 6 hours. Maher Terminals LLC reports vessel waiting times averaging around 6 hours.
• Average gate turn times are 47 minutes for single transactions and 78 minutes for double transactions at APMT terminals and 44 minutes for Maher Terminals.
• The average import rail dwell time is 0.7 days at APMT and 1 day at Maher Terminals.
• The last 2 cranes on APMT East berth to be operational by end of June.

Norfolk:

• No waiting time for a berth for Gemini and Non-Gemini Vessels.
• Average gate turn times are 30 / 44 minutes for single and double transactions at NIT, and 30 / 47 minutes for single and double transactions at VIG.
• The average Import dwell time is 2.7 days.
• Crane #4 at NIT remains out of service since April 16 with no current update.

Charleston Terminal:

• No waiting time for Gemini and non-Gemini vessels at Wando Welch Terminal.
• No waiting time at North Charleston Terminal.
• Average truck turn times are 18 / 20 / 15 minutes at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal, and Leatherman Terminal respectively.
• Average Import dwell time is 1.6 days at North Charleston Container Terminal.
• Average Import dwell time is 1.6 days at Wando Welch Container Terminal.

Savannah:

• The average waiting time for vessel berth is 0.7 days for class 1 and 1.2 days for class 2 vessels.
• Average gate turn times are 32 / 51 minutes for single and double transactions respectively.
• Import dwell time is 7.3 days. Rail dwell time is 1.3 days.

Houston:

• Waiting time is up to 3 hours at Barbours Cut Terminal and 6 hours at Bayport Container Terminal.
• Average gate turn times are 40 / 62 minutes at Barbours Cut and 30 / 47 minutes at Bayport for single and double transactions respectively.
• Loaded import dwell time is 3.5 days at Barbours Cut and 3.5 days at Bayport.
• Yard utilization at Barbours Cut Terminal remains high.
• To maintain terminal fluidity, the Port of Houston is adjusting receiving days and cut-off times on short notice.
• Effective August 1, 2025, Excessive Import Dwell Fees will be applied to loaded refrigerated (reefer) import containers once free time expires.
• These fees will also apply during terminal truck gate closures due to scheduled terminal shutdowns.

Oakland:

• No waiting time at Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT).
• Average gate turn time is 90 minutes for OICT.
• Average import deliveries can take up to 4 days at OICT.
• Oakland International Container Terminal has 2 cranes out of order.
• The Oakland International Container Terminal will be closed on July 2 and 7, 2025.

Seattle-Tacoma:

• No waiting time at Husky Terminal or Washington United Terminal in Tacoma.
• No waiting time in Seattle.
• Import rail dwell is 2.2 days at Husky and 3 days at T18.
• The average gate turn times are 48 minutes for T18.
• Average gate turn times are 36 / 61 minutes for single and double transactions at Husky.
• Husky will offer hoot gates on June 30, July 1, 2 and 3, 2025.
• T18 and HUSKY will be closed on July 4 and 7, 2025.

Los Angeles/Long Beach:

• All terminal gates are running as published and in line with the Pier Pass program.
• Port of Los Angeles dwell time for local import cargo is 2.8 days; on-dock rail dwell is 2.8 days.
• Import units on the street are averaging 4.5 / 6.6 days for 20 ft and 40+ ft containers respectively.
• Port of Long Beach dwell times for local imports remain at 4-8 days.
• Average terminal gate turn time is between 64 - 74 minutes, depending on the terminal.

Chassis Pools

All pools are operating as normal.

Intermodal Operations

Truck power can be secured within 1-3 days for the majority of locations, including marine terminals, rail ramps, and depots.

Port Status

Final Thoughts

In light of the latest updates and trends, the market is currently in the course of showing robust performance and is equipped with ample capacity and resources. Individuals and businesses involved in import/export activities must stay well-informed about market dynamics and strategies to make informed decisions.

To ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience with your import/export operations, it is recommended to seek guidance from industry experts. Taking proactive measures and staying proactive in your approach will help you navigate the market effectively. We greatly appreciate your continued readership and encourage you to subscribe to our weekly market updates to stay abreast of the latest developments and insights.