Timeline
- Normal cadence: three vessels would typically arrive spaced across a full week
- This week: all three arrived within a 48-hour window, the result of schedule recovery efforts by two carriers following prior delays
- As of this week: at least one vessel reported an anchor wait of approximately 30 hours before berthing, the first sustained wait at NWSA since early spring
- Over the next week: bunching is expected to ease once the current backlog clears
Recommended Actions
- Expect discharge delays of up to 1.5 days versus original ETAs for cargo on the affected sailings.
- Hold off dispatching drayage appointments until terminal release is confirmed rather than scheduling against ETA.
- Monitor vessel tracking through the weekend for berthing confirmation before committing driver time.
- Build in chassis availability checks during peak unload windows, as labor and chassis are compressed by the bunching.
- Flag time-sensitive freight on the affected vessels for priority drayage once discharge begins.
| Anchor Wait Tier | Hours | Discharge Delay vs. ETA |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 0-4 | None |
| Elevated | 5-15 | 0.5 day |
| Congested | 16-30+ | Up to 1.5 days |
Why did three vessels arrive in the same 48-hour window?
Berth scheduling data combined with on-ground terminal telemetry shows the bunching stems from schedule recovery efforts by two carriers following prior delays earlier in their rotations. Vessels that fell behind schedule on previous legs caught up simultaneously, compressing arrivals that would normally be spaced across a week into a single window.
Is gate productivity affected once vessels are alongside?
No, terminal operators report gate productivity remains normal once vessels are berthed. The bottleneck is specifically at the berth and anchorage level, plus compressed labor and chassis availability during the peak unload windows created by three simultaneous discharges.
When is the bunching expected to clear?
Terminal operators indicate the backlog should ease once the current vessels complete discharge, with normal cadence expected to resume early next week. Cargo owners should treat this as a short-duration disruption rather than a sustained congestion event.