13/10/2026
🚢 ASIA’S TYPHOON DISRUPTIONS CONTINUE — OCEAN CARRIERS STRUGGLE TO RESTORE SCHEDULE RELIABILITY
A series of powerful typhoons that hit China during Q3 2026 continues to disrupt global container shipping. Even as port queues begin to ease, vessel delays are spreading downstream, affecting arrival schedules in Europe and North America.
According to Xeneta’s September data, global schedule reliability fell to just 27%, while average vessel delays reached 6 days.
🔍 THE IMPACT IN NUMBERS
→ 27% global schedule reliability: Only around one in four vessels arrived on time in September.
→ 6 days average delay: Vessel delays have increased by 2.4 days since the beginning of Q2.
→ 4% on-time arrivals on Far East–Europe trades: This route recorded one of the sharpest deteriorations, with average delays reaching 9.9 days.
→ Singapore congestion rising: Delays at Chinese ports are spilling over into Southeast Asia, with average vessel waiting times at Singapore increasing to 3.1 days.
⚠️ WHY THE DISRUPTION IS LASTING
Typhoons can temporarily halt port operations, force vessels to seek shelter and disrupt established sailing schedules. When delayed vessels arrive in clusters, they can create new congestion at subsequent ports and transshipment hubs.
This creates a ripple effect: even after weather conditions improve, carriers may need time to restore vessel rotations, manage backlogs and recover schedule reliability.
📦 WHAT SHOULD VIETNAMESE EXPORTERS DO?
For businesses shipping to Europe and North America, unreliable schedules can affect delivery commitments, inventory planning and connections with onward transport.
→ Book earlier: Allow additional lead time, particularly for time-sensitive cargo.
→ Confirm schedules regularly: Check for revised ETD/ETA, port omissions, transshipment changes and potential rollovers.
→ Build buffer time: Avoid relying on published transit times alone when planning delivery deadlines.
→ Coordinate proactively: Stay in close contact with carriers and logistics partners to assess alternatives if delays affect critical shipments.
🌏 THE BIGGER PICTURE
The latest disruption shows that clearing a port backlog does not necessarily mean the shipping network has recovered. Delays can continue moving through the network long after the original weather event.
For shippers, visibility, realistic lead times and contingency planning are essential to navigating an increasingly unpredictable ocean freight market.
📰 Sources: Journal of Commerce (JOC), Xeneta
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