Congestion at the port of Shanghai is almost back to normal, according to data from
VesselsValue. In late-April, at the height of two-month lockdown of what is China’s
largest city and the world’s largest port, average waiting times for tankers,bulkers and containerships at reached 66 hours. Waiting times had now been reduced shortened to 28 hours, just an hour longer than the top end of the range seen at this time of year over the past three years.
Average waiting times for containerships, which peaked at 69 hours in late April, were now down to 31 hours, although this was still about four hours longer than the higher end of the range seen for this time of year over the past three years.
Congestion for tankers was back within normal bounds, having peaked at 37 hours in early April. They are now down to 18 hours, which is two hours shorter than the average levels
seen at this time of year over the past three years.
Congestion for Bulkers was now low for the time of year. Waiting time peaked at 75 hours in late April, but were now down to 21 hours, level with the lowest average waiting times recorded for this time of year over the past three years.
Meanwhile, data from Israel based maritime AI company Windward showed that the length of time containerships called at Shanghai was not critically affected by the lockdown in the city. Taking its figures year on year (may 2022 to May 2021) Windward recorded a monthly average increase of only 1.2 days, from 17 to 18.2 days. However, the number of port calls made by container vessels to Shanghai in these two periods dropped by 16%, from 1,263 to 1,062.
“The Shanghai area is far less congested,which is not surprising, given the relatively new development of the partial re-opening,” a report from Windward and Sea-Intelligence stated.
VesselsValue data as of 1st June 2022.
