Industry Insights

Shipping Network Delays Affecting Shipments from China

Aug 12, 2026

Shipping Network Delays Affecting Shipments from China

Recent developments across the Asia shipping network have created operational challenges that are impacting vessel schedules and overall transit times.  

These conditions are affecting multiple ocean carriers and may result in delays to cargo movements throughout the supply chain, particularly for shipments originating from China. 

Factors Impacting Delays 

Current delays are being driven by several industry-wide factors, including: 

  • Adverse weather (Typhoon Dolphin in East Asia) and others affecting vessel and terminal operations 
  • Port, terminal, and berth congestion at major Chinese gateway ports  
  • Congestion at major transshipment hubs affecting vessel connections and cargo transfers  
  • Increased export volumes resulting in vessel backlogs and vessel bunching  
  • Carrier network recovery measures, including blank sailings, revised vessel rotations, port omissions, and schedule adjustments to restore service reliability  

As carriers work to restore schedules, customers may experience revised ETAs, longer transit times, cargo rollovers, missed transshipment connections, adjusted vessel departures, or temporary service changes.   

Affected Gateways 

These conditions are affecting shipments moving through major gateway ports across China, including  

  • Shanghai 
  • Ningbo 
  • Qingdao 
  • Yantian 
  • Xiamen 
  • Other regional ports 
  • Other key transshipment hubs supporting international trade 

Congestion levels vary by location and carrier, with impacts across multiple trade lanes. 

Delmar Support 

Delmar is monitoring the situation closely and is working  to minimize disruption where possible. 

For additional information and assistance, connect with a Delmar Specialist via the myDelmar™ portal. 

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