Typhoon Dolphin has further exacerbated the already strained situation at major container ports in eastern China. According to market research firm Linerlytica, approximately 2.4 million TEU of container ship capacity was recently backed up in the vicinity of Chinese ports. Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan are particularly affected.
The typhoon struck China's east coast in Zhejiang, bringing strong winds and extreme rainfall. In Ningbo, port activities were gradually suspended starting August 7. The major Shanghai terminals Yangshan and Waigaoqiao also temporarily restricted container intake and discharge operations. Operations have since gradually resumed.
However, the problem is not yet resolved. Vessels that departed before the storm or went into holding positions at sea are now returning almost simultaneously. At the same time, container backlogs at terminals must be cleared and shipping line schedules need to be rearranged.
At individual berths of the deep-water port Yangshan, waiting times of up to twelve days are now being reported. Additionally, container delivery appointments are only partially available.
For shippers in Europe, this disruption will likely only become visible with a time lag. A vessel departing several days late from Shanghai or Ningbo will arrive at Rotterdam, Hamburg, or other European ports correspondingly later.
There is an additional compounding effect: delayed vessels will subsequently be missing from their next rotation. Shipping lines may attempt to recover schedules through skipped port calls or other operational adjustments. This also increases the risk of rolled cargo – containers that are not carried as planned and are rescheduled for a later departure.
C.H. Robinson also warns of equipment shortages, delayed trucking, changed cut-off times, and problems with container returns and pickups. It could take several weeks before the situation fully normalizes.