Why it happens:
Port congestion does not slow down every container in the same way. Some shipments move through congested ports with minor delays, while others sit for days or weeks. The difference is usually not luck, but how prepared the shipment is when it arrives.
What it is:
Port congestion means terminals are handling more containers than they can efficiently process. This affects how quickly vessels are discharged, how containers are stacked in the yard, and how easily they can be retrieved for pickup. When congestion builds up, terminals focus on keeping operations moving overall, not on individual shipments. Containers that are not ready to leave are often pushed aside, making them harder to access later.
How it works:
After a vessel arrives, containers are discharged and placed in the terminal yard. In congested conditions, terminals stack containers wherever space is available, often several rows deep.
Containers that are not immediately pickup-ready, because of missing carrier release, uncleared customs, or no truck appointment, are more likely to be:
- stacked under other containers,
- placed in less accessible areas of the yard,
- delayed while equipment and labor are allocated elsewhere.
Once a container is buried in a congested yard, retrieving it can take additional days, even after all documents are complete. At that point, the delay is no longer about transit or arrival timing, but about terminal access and sequencing.
Examples:
- A container arrives on time, but customs clearance is completed two days later. By then, the container has been stacked under other cargo and cannot be retrieved immediately.
- Two containers arrive on the same vessel. One has a carrier release, and a truck appointment arranged in advance and is picked up quickly. The other does not and remains in the yard for several extra days.
- During congestion, terminals prioritize vessel operations over yard re-handling, delaying the retrieval of already arrived containers.
Facts:
- In congested ports, many delays occur after vessel arrival, not during ocean transit.
- Containers that are ready for pickup sooner are generally retrieved sooner, regardless of when they arrived.
- Congestion amplifies existing gaps in documentation, clearance, and inland planning.
Misinterpretations:
- Port congestion does not affect all shipments in the same way. In congested terminals, containers are handled based on operational priorities such as yard space, equipment availability, and vessel schedules. Shipments that are not ready for pickup when they arrive are more likely to be stacked in less accessible areas, which can delay retrieval even after all requirements are completed.
- Arrival timing alone does not determine pickup speed. How quickly a container can be collected depends largely on preparation before arrival, including carrier release, customs clearance, and truck appointment availability. Containers that are fully ready when discharged are usually retrieved sooner than those that arrive earlier but still have outstanding requirements.
- Customs clearance does not guarantee immediate pickup. Even after clearance is completed, a container may remain inaccessible due to yard congestion, labor constraints, or limited equipment. In busy ports, it is common for cleared containers to wait additional days before they can be physically retrieved.
Who solves it
Skypace system tracks arrival, discharge, customs clearance, carrier release, and inland readiness as separate steps. By showing whether a container is ready for pickup at the time of arrival, it becomes clearer why some shipments move through congestion faster than others and where delays are being introduced.
