Global Container Port Congestion to decline through 2023

Cont’d. from Pg. 3 Globally, pre-berth waiting time remained significantly above prepandemic levels through 2020-22. In 2019, waiting time accounted for just over 17% of the total port time, but in both 2021 and 2022 pre-berth waiting hadincreasedtomorethan25%ofthe totalporttime.

There were clear signs of improvement in 2H22, despite rising levels of disruption associated with dock labour and other transport sector strikes. But despite this progress, pre-berth waiting time remains elevated above prepandemic levels, leaving much work todo.

By 4Q22, it was only the North America and Oceania regions where pre-berth waiting remained materially (>10%) above 2019 levels. In contrast, pre-berth waiting time in Europe was 16.6% in 4Q23, just 1.2% abovethe2019averageof15.4%.

While some of the improvement acrossourAfricanportsamplecanbe attributedtohighercallsfollowingthe expansion of capacity at Tanger Med, there has been marked improvement atmanyotherportsacrosstheregion.

Drewry expects port waiting time and congestion to return to prepandemic levels over the course of 2023, thanks to reduced cargo demand, due to lower economic growth combined with a resumption of more normal seasonality. Signs of the latter are clearly evident in the first few weeks of the year which heralds more predictable times, though continued use of blanked sailings will add to average berth times.

Ports and Terminals Insight – Port industryperformanceandtrends

The Ports and Terminal Insight is a quarterly report (PDF) covering the latest developments in the container ports and terminals market, accompanied by a new monthly report (PDF) providing regular port congestion and performance monitoring (powered by Drewry AIS analytics). It looks behind the data and topicalissuestoanswerboththe‘cause’ and ‘effect’ questions that matter most toseniorindustrystakeholders.

MoPSW : Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 estimates investments of over 1 Lakh Cr in Port Infrastructure

NEW DELHI : Maritime India

Vision (MIV) 2030 estimates investments of Rs 1,00,000–1,25,000 crore for capacity augmentation and development of world-class infrastructure at Indian Ports, according to the statement of the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways.

The container throughput of Indian ports stood at 17 million TEUs for the period 2020 whereas that for China stood at 245 million TEUs for the same period. The combined container throughput across top 20 major global ports stood at 357 million TEUsduringtheperiod2020.

To develop global standard ports in India, Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 has identified initiatives such as developing world-class Mega Ports, transhipment hubs and infrastructure modernisation of ports at the investments of INR1,00,000–1,25,000crore.

The upcoming ports at Vizhinjam (Kerala) and Vadhavan (Maharashtra) have natural drafts in excess of 18m that would enable ultra-large container and cargo vessels to call on the ports thereby boosting the efforts to make India the world’s factory by improving the container and cargo throughput.

At present, India is not having landside mega-port and terminal infrastructuretodealwithUltra-large container ships. Ports need a higher draft, several large cranes, better yard management capability, increased automation, larger storage facilities, more inland connectivity and enhanced labour productivity. Ultra-large container ships seek speedy unloading of the large volumestheycarry.