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Felixstowe shipments return to normal – updated

[ September 16, 2022   //   ]

Shipping analyst FourKites says delays caused by the Felixstowe strike have largely been eliminated.

Average Dwell time for ocean shipments at terminal had increased from 5.3 days on average on 21 August, the day the strike began but increased to 9.9 days by 30 August but, by 10 September, this had reduced again to 5.8 days.

However, although the first Felixstowe strike has ended, additional port worker strikes at Felixstowe and Liverpool are scheduled to begin later this month (Liverpool on 19 September and Felixstowe on 27 September.)

During the initial Felixstowe strike, FourKites said it appears that many shipments may have been rerouted to other ports such as Southampton, which saw an increase from 13% to 24% over the same two-week period. 

FourKites has seen some possible initial signs of rerouting at Liverpool, where the share of port arrivals has decreased from 11% to 8% week-over-week for its customers.

However, the Container xChange box leasing platform predicted that strikes at Felixstowe and Liverpool prepare for labour strikes later this month in response to soaring inflation; according to the analysis would lead to port closures stretching on for more than a week.

This would be followed by Golden week in China on 1-7 October when factories are shut leading to stoppages in Chinese ports.  

Typhoon Muifa would also lead to port closures just ahead of Golden Week in China.  

Co-founder and chief executive of Container xChange, Christian Roeloffs, 01said: “These disruptions will delay the peak season cargo coming from China to Europe. Ships will be diverted to other ports in Europe and the UK, adding pressure to the congestion in the port of Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Rotterdam, and major port hubs where our proprietary data shows the CAx is already at a very high level.”

Another impact will be the delay in expatriating empty containers from Europe back to China because of the closures and capacity issues, he added.

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