What caused the earlier vessel bunching?
Port authority data combined with on-ground vessel-tracking telemetry indicated that three vessels on overlapping transpacific strings arrived within a 36-hour window in late June, creating a backlog that pushed berth wait times to 2.8 days at the peak. Terminal operators attributed the clustering to upstream schedule recovery following earlier delays at origin ports.
How quickly is the situation normalizing?
On-ground vessel-tracking telemetry shows berth wait times declining steadily over the past 10 days, from 2.8 days to roughly 1.5 days. Industry trade reporting suggests this is consistent with the backlog working through rather than a structural improvement, meaning a similar bunching event could recur if upcoming vessel arrivals cluster again.
| Berth Wait | Status | Drayage Scheduling Note |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 day | Normal | Standard scheduling |
| 1-2 days | Recovering | Minor buffer recommended |
| 2.5+ days | Bunched | 1+ day buffer, expect rolled appointments |
- Late June peak: 2.8 days average berth wait
- This week: ~1.5 days average berth wait
- Vessels involved in the original bunching: three on overlapping transpacific strings
- Upcoming arrival schedule shows no similar clustering through at least the next 10 days, per port authority data
Is further improvement expected in the coming weeks?
Port authority data on scheduled arrivals through the next 10 days does not show a repeat of the late-June clustering pattern, which supports continued improvement if vessels arrive on their currently published schedules. However, industry trade reporting notes that schedule reliability on these strings has been inconsistent, so the current pace of improvement is not guaranteed to hold.
What Shippers Should Do
- Continue to allow a modest buffer (around half a day) for appointments tied to vessels still working through the backlog.
- Monitor vessel arrival schedules for the next two weeks, as a recurrence of clustering would likely push wait times back toward the 2.5+ day band quickly.
- Containers that were rolled during the late-June bunching should be re-confirmed for their new arrival window rather than assumed to be on the original schedule.
- Use the improved berth wait times as a window to clear any backlog of delayed pickups before potential volume increases later in July add pressure.