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 traffic on Shanghai-Ningbo 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 BloombergNews.

"Singapore, Asia's third-largest shopping centre, saw a 14,7 per cent weekly drop as a build-up visible 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 Covid outbreaks, especially in China, there is a risk that a sudden increase in cargo will put pressure on the supply chain, as shippers already begin to push cargo instead of waiting for the traditional rush before the Chinese New Year. —Jensen said.