Freight market update - 11 June 2025

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• Maintenance dredging is ongoing at QQCTU until the end of June, slightly affecting quay utilization.

• In Week 23, Westport (WP) experienced severe berth congestion, with delays of 2–3 days.

• Conditions are expected to remain strained until yard density is reduced below 85%.

• Major ports such as Chittagong (5-day wait), PSA Singapore (1.5+ days), WP Malaysia (2–3 days), and Shanghai’s WGQ and YS terminals (up to 3+ days) are facing moderate to heavy berth congestion.

• A U.S. appeals court has allowed existing tariffs to remain in effect for now.

• Meanwhile, the 90-day pause on reciprocal U.S.-China tariffs has triggered a surge in U.S. import demand from the Far East.

• Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have launched the new Transpacific Gemini service.

• CU Lines has re-entered the Transpacific trade, adding more capacity to the route.

• Capacity additions in June and July are substantially higher compared to pre-tariff pause levels.

Read on for more in-depth updates.

Asia → North America

US/CA

Transpacific Trends and Market Updates

• Major ports such as Chittagong (5-day wait), PSA Singapore (1.5+ days), WP Malaysia (2–3 days), and Shanghai’s WGQ and YS terminals (up to 3+ days) are facing moderate to heavy berth congestion.
• The congestion is primarily driven by vessel bunching and limited berth availability.
• Terminal efficiency is under pressure in multiple regions due to yard densities nearing or hitting 100%.
• Affected locations include WP Malaysia, HICT Vietnam, and parts of China and South Korea.
• High yard utilization is causing operational delays and reducing overall productivity.

Weather and Operational Disruptions

• Dense fog caused temporary closures at ports in Ningbo, Shanghai (WGQ and YS) on 2 June, worsening delays and congestion.
• Ongoing maintenance dredging in Qingdao is also slightly disrupting port operations.
• Ports in Ningbo, Shanghai WGQ, and YS were shut down for 6–11 hours on 2 June due to dense fog, leading to a temporary halt in operations.

Shanghai – WGQ

• The port was closed for 6 hours on June 2 due to dense fog.
• All WGQ terminals experienced heavy berth congestion, causing average delays of 1.5–2 days this week.
• WGQ4 faced even more severe congestion, with vessel waiting times exceeding 3 days.

Shanghai – YS

• The port was closed for 10 hours on June 2 due to dense fog.
• YS1 continues to face challenges in Week 23, with heavy berth congestion and average delays of 2–3 days.
• On June 4, ten vessels were anchored outside YS1, waiting for available berths.

Qingdao

• The overall situation improved in Week 23.
• Berth congestion stabilized, with average waiting times around 1 day.
• Maintenance dredging is ongoing at QQCTU until the end of June, slightly affecting quay utilization.

Singapore

• In Week 23, PSA faced moderate congestion, with vessel waiting times exceeding 1.5 days.
• CMA group-managed delays were relatively lower at around 1 day.
• Transshipment inventory remained healthy at 52,000 TEUs.

Malaysia – WP

• In Week 23, Westport (WP) experienced severe berth congestion, with delays of 2–3 days.
• Smaller vessels, particularly regional feeders, were significantly affected due to vessel bunching.
• The laden yard was nearly full, with yard density approaching 100%, which hindered terminal efficiency.
• Conditions are expected to remain strained until yard density is reduced below 85%.

Turkey → North America

• A U.S. appeals court has allowed existing tariffs to remain in effect for now.
• Meanwhile, the 90-day pause on reciprocal U.S.-China tariffs has triggered a surge in U.S. import demand from the Far East.
• Businesses are rushing to move goods during this temporary relief window, putting intense pressure on Transpacific capacity and pushing freight rates higher.
• These capacity strains are beginning to impact other trade lanes, such as Far East–North Europe.
• Carriers are shifting capacity to the Transpacific to manage demand, leading to reduced availability on Far East–Europe routes.
• In addition to this, European port congestion and ongoing vessel diversions via the Red Sea are adding to supply chain challenges.
• Both FAK and long-term contract rates have increased.
• FAK rates remain exceptionally high for shipments to both the U.S. West Coast and East Coast.
• Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) are being applied to long-term contracts.
• General Rate Increases (GRIs) are holding firm, with potential for further hikes if strong demand continues.
• A sharp increase in shipment volume is causing space to tighten across lanes.
• This surge is fueled by intensified U.S.-China trade activity and importer strategies to pre-empt tariff reinstatements.
• Weekly TEU volumes have seen a significant jump.
• Carriers are ramping up capacity, especially on the U.S. West Coast routes.
• MSC is deploying larger vessels to handle the increased demand.
• CMA CGM is reintroducing previously suspended services.
• Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have launched the new Transpacific Gemini service.
• CU Lines has re-entered the Transpacific trade, adding more capacity to the route.
• Capacity additions in June and July are substantially higher compared to pre-tariff pause levels.
• Current carrier focus is on prioritizing the U.S. West Coast.
• Schedule reliability on the Asia–North America West Coast (NAWC) route improved by 14.4 percentage points to 67.6% (March/April 2025).
• On the Asia–North America East Coast (NAEC) route, reliability increased by 11.6 percentage points to 52.6% for the same period.

North America → Turkey

• Inland Ramps: Support is needed to expedite cargo pickup upon arrival to avoid congestion, especially at Kansas City and El Paso ramps.
• LA/LB On-dock: Average dwell time in Week 22 was 4–5 days, with steady improvement.
• LA/LB Off-dock: Cargo from non-FMS terminals and certain FMS locations is dwelling for an average of 5–6 days.
• OAK: Operations remain fluid with no reported issues.
• SEA: Seattle's average IPI dwell before port departure is 5–6 days, primarily due to destination-specific rail delays.
• VAN and PRR: Prince Rupert sees minimal volume. Vancouver dwell time averages 3–4 days.

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 55 minutes for single transactions and 82 minutes for double transactions at APMT terminals and 38 minutes for Maher Terminals.
• The average import rail dwell time is 9.6 days at APMT and 3.1 days at Maher Terminals.
• The last 2 cranes on APMT East berth to be operational by end of June.

Norfolk:

• The waiting time for a berth is up to 12 hours at Norfolk International Terminal (NIT) and 18 hours at Virginia International Gateway (VIG).
• Average gate turn times are 28 / 42 minutes for single and double transactions at NIT, and 42 / 73 minutes for single and double transactions at VIG.
• The average Import dwell time is 3.1 days.
• Crane #4 at NIT remains out of service since April 16 with no current update.

Charleston Terminal:

• 6 hrs. waiting time for Gemini vessels and 12 hrs. for non-Gemini.
• No waiting time at North Charleston Terminal.
• Average truck turn times are 18 / 19 / 16 minutes at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal, and Leatherman Terminal respectively.
• Average Import dwell time is 8.3 days at North Charleston Container Terminal.
• Average Import dwell time is 8.3 days at Wando Welch Container Terminal.

Savannah:

• The average waiting time for vessel berth is 1 day for class 1 and 1.5 days for class 2 vessels.
• Average gate turn times are 34 / 51 minutes for single and double transactions respectively.
• Import dwell time is 7.3 days. Rail dwell time is 1.4 days.

Houston:

• Waiting time is up to 10 hours at Barbours Cut Terminal and 6 hours at Bayport Container Terminal.
• Average gate turn times are 32 / 49 minutes at Barbours Cut and 30 / 49 minutes at Bayport for single and double transactions respectively.
• Loaded import dwell time is 3.6 days at Barbours Cut and 3.6 days at Bayport.
• Yard use remains high at Barbours Cut.
• Effective July 1, 2025, Excessive Import Dwell Fees will be implemented for loaded refrigerated (reefer) import containers.
• These fees will apply after the expiration of free time.
• This includes days when the terminal truck gates are closed due to scheduled terminal closures.

Oakland:

• No waiting time at Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT).
• Average gate turn time is 84 minutes for OICT.
• Average import deliveries can take up to 4 days at OICT.
• Two cranes at OICT are currently out of service.

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 51 minutes for T18.
• Average gate turn times are 48 / 77 minutes for single and double transactions at Husky.
• Husky is not offering hoot gates on Week 24.

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 3.0 days; on-dock rail dwell is 4.3 days.
• Import units on the street are averaging 4.3 / 7.0 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 32 - 39 minutes, depending on the terminal.

Chassis Pools

All pools are operating as normal except:

• Pittsburg - Deficit on 40’ chassis.

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.