International moving update
After a lull at the start of 2022, choppy waters have returned to international shipping, with many customers and clients asking us: When will the pressures on transport ease; When will there be a reduction in delays; and when will the prices fall? With Russia’s appalling invasion of Ukraine; The resulting geopolitical turmoil and new COVID spikes in mainland China affecting its industrial and transport infrastructure, including its ports; And the global economy already bracing itself for an energy shortage, the answer is not any time soon.
Transportation
Beyond the tragic impact on human life that this crisis has inflicted, we are also seeing increased fuel costs and a massively disrupted capacity that impacts all modes of transportation.
Sea
Freight and shipping delays resulting in the cancellation of bookings in and out of Russia, putting further strain on ports.
Air
Restriction of air space and grounding of aircraft reduces cargo capacity.
Road
Trucking blockades and logjams within Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are being felt across Europe.
Global outlook
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause delays and port closures. When combined with continuing high demand for ocean freight from Asia to the US, ocean rates remain high and transit times are highly volatile.
United States & Canada
The West Coast remains one of the worst affected locations, congestion in Los Angeles continues to cause issues. Heavy demand on the East Coast results in limited space.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Restricted availability; demand remains high.
Asia
Carriers are eager to get their containers back to Asia; therefore, additional capacity has been introduced.
Oceania
Continued congestion in the transhipment ports, e.g., Singapore, Hong Kong, etc., continue to hamper this service.
Middle East & Mediterranean
Services have been removed, increasing rates and transit times.
South Africa
Service into any destination other than main ports is challenging and inland trucking and infrastructure support increasingly challenging.
West and East Africa
Services remain restricted.
India and the subcontinent
Improved marginally over the previous year and shipping to these regions should generally not be an issue.
Santa Fe offers the following recommendations
Advance planning
Be sure to book early. Santa Fe will assist with early scheduling and ensure the best timings can be agreed upon. We can also make sure that all the required paperwork is in order before shipping to minimise the chance of delays.
Transportation and storage
Consider alternative methods of transport such as air freight for time-sensitive items. Storage can also help with the current uncertainty of timings. Santa Fe has access to multiple freight and warehousing suppliers through our global network, giving our customers the widest choice of possible solutions.
Costs and timings
Be prepared to buffer your budget and allow for transit time changes. Santa Fe will do its best to ensure moves arrive on schedule but delays and unforeseen additional charges can occur in this unstable period.
We’re here to help
For further information or should you have any urgent questions or enquiries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Santa Fe representative
The Santa Fe Relocation team
