As the Lunar New Year approaches, a combination of factors such as customs inspections, a surge in cargo volume, and holidays have led to severe congestion at several important container ports in Asia, including China's Ningbo Port and Shanghai Port, the Port of Manila in the Philippines, and the Port of Semarang in Indonesia.

Among these ports, the Port of Semarang in Indonesia is at risk of operational interruption due to severe congestion.

Reportedly, several ports in China are facing challenges, with pressure on yards and anchorage areas. Currently, vessels at Ningbo Port are experiencing a slight increase in waiting times, with an average wait of around 2.5 days over the past 7 days. Congestion at Meishan International Container Terminal (MSICT) and Chiwan International Container Terminal (CMICT) has worsened, with vessel waiting times exceeding 3 days.

Vessel waiting times at Shanghai Port remain relatively high, with an average wait of around 2.13 days over 7 days. Berths at the Waigaoqiao Port Area (WGQ) are still crowded, with vessels waiting for approximately 2 days. Due to vessel concentration and berth demand, operations at the Yangshan Port Area (YS) remain tight in the second week, putting significant pressure on terminal operations.

Additionally, vessels at Nansha Port in Guangzhou have an average waiting time of around 1.49 days over 7 days. Qingdao Port has an average waiting time of about 1.34 days over 7 days. Although there have been some improvements overall, ports are still severely congested.

The overall operational pressure at the Port of Manila in the Philippines remains significant, with an average vessel waiting time of around 2.17 days over 7 days. Berths at the North Harbor and South Harbor in Manila are still crowded, with vessels facing delays of over 3 days and operational delays.

The Port of Semarang in Indonesia is experiencing significant congestion due to a sharp increase in import and export cargo, leading to disruptions of varying degrees in port operations. The operational pressure at the Tanjung Emas Container Terminal is particularly acute, with the port facing a risk of shutdown.

With continuous growth in import and export volumes and existing cargo backlogs, the Port of Semarang in Indonesia is facing challenges of congestion and operational interruptions. Several measures have been taken to alleviate congestion, including expanding yard areas and evaluating further utilization of dockside resources. However, the port will temporarily not accept early arrival requests for container stacking.

Currently, there are 9 vessels waiting to berth at the anchorage of the Port of Semarang, with some vessels being in a waiting state since January 17, 2026, with waiting times reaching 6 days.

As the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches, a new wave of peak shipment is expected, and foreign trade exports and freight forwarding companies need to be aware of the resonance effect between the pre-holiday peak shipments and the current port congestion.