Lloyd’s List Intelligence data shows Yang Ming and Evergreen most exposed to delays
At least 110 containerships are bound for Hong Kong, where operations at core terminals have sharply slowed amid the largest industrial action the Chinese territory has seen in decades.
According to the latest data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, which tracks Automatic Identification Systems, 111 boxships were sailing to the world’s third-largest container port between April 1 and April 7. (Click here to view the data)
Of these, six ships are larger than 10,000teu, nine are between 8,000teu and10,000teu, and 13 have capacity of 5,000-8,000 eu.
Fifteen vessels can nominally carry 3,000-5,000teu of boxes, and 68 have capacity less than 3,000teu.
The figures include vessels calling at berths other than those of Hongkong International Terminals, the strike-hit operator that handles more than half of Hong Kong’s box volumes.
However, the total number of vessels exposed to delays could be even larger, as the Lloyd’s List Intelligencedoes not count vessels that skipped calls before the data was compiled.
As the strike by workers employed by HIT contractors enters its second week, many liner operators have begun to omit calls at Hong Kong, diverting cargoes to nearby terminals in Shenzhen, Kaohsiung and others.
Affected carriers include Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), which has diverted six vessels away from Hong Kong, Evergreen Marine, which has skipped up to four calls, and K Line, which has omitted two, according to company officials.
K Line estimated that around 100 vessels would need berth space in the three days from late Wednesday and 40 might have to skip Hong Kong, revise port rotation or arrange mid-stream operations.
“[Those affected are] relatively small vessels engaged in intra-Asia trades,” the carrier said.
However, with average berthing time exceeding 50 hours against the normal level of three hours, larger ships engaged in deepsea trades are not immune from trouble.
In the worst-case scenario, major ports in Asia-Europe and transpacific routes could also feel the impact of the delays when vessels now calling at Hong Kong arrive later than scheduled, warned Roberto Giannetta, secretary of Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association.
“Ships are generally running on very tight schedules,” Giannetta said. “If there is a delay in Hong Kong there would be ripple effects in subsequent ports.”
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