Congestion in Asian ports has eased towards the end of November 2021, a trend that could bode well for exporters ahead of the crucial holidays / Lunar New Year Period.

According to a report by Bloomberg On November 20, the signals were positive in several of the key ports in the region.

“Total Shanghai-Ningbo traffic was down 0,2 percent from the previous week and Hong Kong-Shenzhen ship count was down 10,4 percent,” according to an analysis of data from Bloomberg News.

"Singapore, Asia's third-largest shopping mall, saw a weekly drop of 14,7 percent as a visible buildup since early November appeared to have largely cleared."

However, the trend is not constant across the region or even across countries. In China, the proportion of ships waiting to those in port increased in Tianjin and a Covid-19 outbreak in Dalian affected operations. Manila in the Philippines is also facing congestion.

Although exporters will welcome any improvement in shipping congestion, the long-term outlook remains unclear.

Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime in Copenhagen, said the odds are still pointing towards a worsening before it improves.

“There is still a significant risk of port impact from the Covid outbreaks, especially in China, there is a risk that a surge in cargo will put pressure on the supply chain as shippers already start pushing cargo. instead of waiting for the traditional rush before the Chinese New Year.” Jenson said.