Vessel delays at the Yantian Port, a deepwater port in Shenzhen, has been worsening over the last week and the port is expected to remain congested throughout the month, based on project44’s container dwell time data. The congestion at Yantian is due to tight controls over a detected COVID-19 outbreak on May 25, 2021, amongst port workers, resulting in container liners sending out client advisories on blank sailings.

Image Credits: WGigel.atat / wikimedia.

By June 7, project44 found that minimum dwell times at YICT as a port of loading was one day, while median dwell times were at most 18 days. While minimum dwell times at YICT as the port of discharge was also a day, median dwell times were far higher at 18 days. The Yantian Port kept its container yard open to vessels from May 31 to June 6 and the Shekou Port (another port facility in Shenzhen) is accepting vessels within an ETA of five days from June 1.

The COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread as authorities in Guangzhou, the industrial city northwest of Shenzhen, have also imposed restrictions on business activity. The Nansha Port, one of the fastest-growing terminals from Guangzhou, will also feel the impact of these restrictions, further increasing congestion issues in Yantian.