By: Andrew Johnson, Import Operations Manager, CCS, WorldBridge Logistics Inc.

This is an important operational update regarding Typhoon Dolphin and its potential effects on container ocean freight movements through the Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan port complexes.

Current Situation (as of August 10)

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in Zhejiang province with sustained winds of approximately 150 km/h (94 mph). The storm prompted the evacuation of more than one million people and caused widespread disruption to transportation across eastern China, including significant flight cancellations in Shanghai. Although the system has since weakened, heavy rain and localized flooding are expected to continue in the region through Wednesday.

Shanghai (including Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals) and Ningbo-Zhoushan are among the world’s most critical manufacturing and export gateways. As a result, weather-related restrictions have led to:

• Temporary suspensions or significant limitations on terminal operations, vessel movements, and container gate activity
• Disruptions to trucking, drayage, feeder, and barge services
• Accumulating containers at factories, warehouses, and container freight stations
• Potential delays to vessel schedules and export cut-offs

Expected Operational Impact

The most immediate effects are concentrated in the next 48–72 hours, with elevated risk of terminal restrictions, trucking interruptions, and vessel waiting times.

Of greater concern for many shippers is the period that follows the storm’s passage. Once operations resume, a surge in cargo movement is likely as vessels, trucks, and terminals work through the accumulated backlog. This can result in:

• Yard congestion and longer truck turn times
• Missed receiving or vessel cut-offs
• Container rollovers to subsequent sailings
• Vessel schedule adjustments, including possible port omissions or delayed ETDs
• Downstream impacts on arrival times in the United States and other destination markets

For cargo currently scheduled to move from Shanghai or Ningbo between approximately August 10–14, we recommend allowing for 3–7 days of additional transit-time risk, with the potential for longer delays if a container misses its originally booked vessel.

China–United States Trade Lanes

• Shipments bound for the U.S. West Coast may experience the earliest effects. Cargo destined for the U.S. East Coast or Gulf may see delays that propagate through the full vessel rotation.

Our operations and customer-service teams are actively monitoring terminal reopenings, vessel waiting times, yard utilization, carrier advisories, and any blank sailings or schedule changes.

Please do not hesitate to contact your account representative or dedicated account team if you have specific shipments you would like us to review or if you require assistance with contingency planning.

Thank you for your continued partnership. We remain committed to keeping your supply chain as resilient as possible during this period of disruption.

Please contact your V. Alexander account team with any questions, and you can always follow us on our website www.valexander.com for updates on this and other topics.