News / Halifax a winner as vessels re-route due to US east coast strike

Photo: VesselFinder

The Canadian east coast gateway of Halifax – and, by extension, port operator PSA which runs its two container terminals – has emerged as the main winner from the three-day ILA stoppage on the US east and Gulf coasts.

“Despite the Chinese Golden Week contributing to a temporary rise in blank sailings, Halifax saw increased activity during the ILA strike, with 25 vessel calls, up from 14 the week prior,” eeSea chief revenue officer Fredrik Grill writes in an analysis.

The 14,000 teu ONE Swan, deployed on THE Alliance’s Asia-US east coast EC5 service, routed via the Cape of Good Hope, skipped calls at Charleston and New York, “heading straight to Halifax with only a seven-day delay, and is currently sailing back to Singapore”.

Additionally, the MSC Sagitta III, on MSC’s Canada Gulf Bridge, made an inducement call at Halifax on 2 October, while the 7,900 teu Zim Scorpio skipped Boston and called at Halifax “to maintain its on-time performance departing North America with only a seven-day delay”.

However, the relatively short-lived industrial action meant forthcoming diversions to Halifax have been cancelled, Mr Grill writes.

“MSC had scheduled two vessels, Epaminondas and MSC Antonia, for extra-loader calls at Halifax, possibly anticipating increased cargo from US east coast, but these calls were pulled as soon as the strike ended.

The 6,700 teu Epaminondas has been rescheduled to call New York, Norfolk, Boston and Savannah as an extra loader, while the 7,000 teu MSC Antonia is set to be deployed to MSC’s Europe-South America east coast NWC to SAEC string I service operated in cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd.”

Planned diversions to Mexican ports were also limited by the quick end to the strike, Mr Grill notes. “Six vessels diverted to Mexican ports made U-turns back to the original ports when the strike ended.

“MSC Paris on the 2M Med-ECNA Loop 5 had been diverted to Freeport, but turned back to Savannah, arriving on 6 October. Other vessels, including OOCL Washington, APL Esplanade, CMA CGM Rimbaud, Maersk Stepnica and MSC Angela, did similarly – four of these diversions were scheduled for Caucedo and one for Puerto Moin. OOCL Washington successfully diverted from Tampa port to Miami,” she notes.

While clearing congestion at the east coast – the southern part of which was also hit by Hurricane Milton – continues, he also notes that many vessels currently en route have slowed speed to delay arrival.

“Port congestion has also normalised, though some ports remain congested, with Palm Beach and Brunswick still seeing 100% wait times due to Milton,” he adds.

“Savannah is the most congested major port, with 53% of vessels waiting to berth – as of 10 October, eight vessels were waiting outside the port, while seven were berthed. Twenty-nine vessels are currently enroute to Savannah, according to our data,” he adds.