Metro launch enhanced tracking tool as on-time ship arrivals hit six-year low

With global shipping schedule reliability at a six-year low and just 33% of ships arriving on time, during a chaotic year for container shipping, Metro Shipping is enhancing its MVT supply chain platform, with even greater scrutiny of real-time vessel tracking.

The ability of vessels to hit their port berthing window impacts shippers and other carriers that have goods or equipment tied up on the ocean voyage, with ripple impacts along the extended supply chain.

Metro’s new ‘Vessel Tracking’ tool links directly with (AIS) transceivers on ships carrying Metro cargo, to follow real-time progress and detect any ETA change or arrival at POD

The busiest trade lane, the eastbound trans-Pacific to the US West Coast, remained the most under pressure, with on-time performance at 10.4% for November, a slight improvement from October, with an average delay of just over 13 days from Asia in November, which is double the average delay seen a year ago.

Asia–US East Coast services had the seventh-lowest reliability among container trade lanes, Sea-Intelligence data shows, reaching 18.7% in November, up from 15.5% in October. Ships arriving on the US East Coast from Asia were delayed between eight and nine days, also double the level seen in November 2020.

The Asia-North Europe trade lane saw schedule reliability hit 24.5% in November, down from 43.5% in November 2020, while the Asia-Mediterranean lane sat at 22.3% voyage reliability.

On-time performance varies widely across carriers, as ships have faced delayed berth calls and long waits at anchor due to heavy congestion across many ports globally, forcing carriers to make last-minute adjustments to try to return ships to schedule, which has affected reliability.

BBC warn that shipping delays could continue well into 2022 – READ MORE

The 2M Alliance showed the highest schedule reliability, with 46.3% of Maersk vessels hitting their berthing window, Hamburg Süd hit 40.4% and Mediterranean Shipping Co achieving 32.4% on 2,555 voyages during November.

Ocean Alliance members, though, saw generally worsening reliability, with CMA CGM drop 3.7% to 27.9% across 3,352 voyages and Cosco Shipping reliability fall to 20.2% for November on 2,863 voyages.

Don’t forget the statistic of 33% on time arrivals relates to all global container vessel movements – it is not route specific. Deep-sea and, in particular Asia/ Europe/ Asia schedules would actually fall significantly below this figure, with some quoting the majority of vessels arriving off schedule, on the longer haul lanes.

With our enhanced tracking tool, you can ‘see’ the delays and issues, so you can plan and communicate this within your business and to end clients. This is our objective – an early ‘warning system’ that allows you to adjust your supply chain accordingly. It is expected that vessels will continue to be delayed for the foreseeable future and maybe the whole of 2022.

The MVT ‘Track Your Vessel’ module automatically follows all ships carrying containers with our cargo on the water. The module instantly detects an ETA change or an arrival at POD and automatically updates the MVT platform.

If the ETA change is +- 7 days, the relevant Metro operations team is sent a message by MVT, to advise them that a significant change has occurred and remedial action may be required.

Our technical solutions team are constantly innovating and evolving the MVT platforms to ensure that, whatever the challenge, our customers’ products are in the right place, at the right time. 

Creating unique technical and operational supply chain solutions, to address each customer’s unique situation, is what differentiates us and has provided the platform for over four decades of sustained growth.

For further information on our MVT platform and to discuss how we can enhance your supply chains, please get in touch with Eilliot Carlile,  or your usual Metro team account manager, who will advise the options available, to ensure that expectations are met despite market impact.