China Shipping Update: Port Delays and Shekou Terminal Rules

Bad weather from recent typhoons (Maysak, Bavi, Noul, and Super Typhoon Dolphin) and Middle East tensions are causing shipping delays and port disruptions across East and South China.

Major ports including Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangdong, and Hong Kong are experiencing vessel delays, port restrictions, and land transport interruptions. This has led to heavy port congestion, slow container movements, and schedule changes.

New Gate-In Rules at Shekou Terminal

To manage severe port congestion, Shekou Terminal introduced new export container controls on 3rd August 2026:

• 7-Day Gate-In Window: Full export containers can only enter the terminal within 7 days of the vessel's Estimated Time of Berthing (ETB). Containers arriving earlier will not be accepted into the terminal.
• Container Acceptance Limits: Container drop-offs are capped by shipping line and trade route. Once a ship reaches its limit, no more containers will be accepted until capacity opens up.
• Fewer Truck Appointments: Limited gate booking slots mean longer truck queues and possible extra detention fees.

What to Expect for Your Cargo

If you have shipments moving through China, expect:

• Delayed ship arrivals and departures
• Changes to scheduled ETAs and ETDs
• Skipped ports (vessel omissions) and rolled containers
• Missed cut-off dates
• Slower container pickup and processing at terminals
• Delayed import deliveries to Australia and New Zealand

Recommended Actions

• Add extra lead time for all shipments moving through China.
• Avoid making firm delivery commitments based solely on original sailing schedules.
• Deliver export containers strictly within the allowed 7-day gate-in window.

Our team is monitoring all shipments closely with carriers and overseas partners. Please contact Recargo on (03) 4052 9736 if you have any questions.