Shanghai handled a record 200,000 TEUs in a single day on August 1, signaling the world’s busiest container port is finally working through the backlog left by Typhoon Bavi.
The throughput figure, reported by the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, topped the previous daily record of 187,312 TEU set in June by nearly 9%. One operating shift alone handled a record 71,728 TEU. Port operator Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) said the surge followed the arrival of vessels that had been waiting offshore after Typhoon Bavi disrupted operations for roughly four days in mid-July, tightening berth availability and pushing terminals toward operational optimization measures and expanded shift capacity.
SIPG said the port returned to full operations on July 14 and has averaged around 172,000 TEU per day while clearing the vessel and container backlog. That backlog was substantial: industry tracker Linerlytica estimated nearly 2 million TEU of container capacity was delayed across North Asian ports in the storm’s immediate aftermath, with more than half of all global port congestion concentrated in the region. Shipping lines have continued adjusting sailing schedules and rotations to recover lost time, and analysts have cautioned that full schedule normalization could take several weeks beyond the ports’ reopening.
IAM Members Impact: The record is a positive signal that Shanghai’s backlog is clearing, but members though members should expect lingering schedule and rate effects into August.
Source: World Cargo News