Shanghai Port Records and Dry Bulk Slump
The bottom line
Shanghai Port handled a record 5.135 million TEU in September, proving the typhoon backlog is gone. Dry bulk rates are crashing, but container shippers should ignore the noise and focus on the Q4 rush.
Shanghai Port hits record 5.135 million TEU in September
The short version
Shanghai Port handled 5.135 million TEU in September, a 6.2% increase over 2025, clearing backlogs from July typhoons.
What happened
The Shanghai International Port Group reports a new monthly record of 5.135 million TEU for September. This follows disruptions starting in July caused by three powerful typhoons that created vessel congestion and export backlogs.
To clear the queue, the port optimised berthing and loading operations and coordinated with shipping lines to merge shipments. The Mingdong Terminal alone handled 30,056 TEUs in a single 24-hour period.
Operations continued through the National Day holiday from 1 October to 3 October. The port handled 1.15 million TEU during that week, which is a 1.3% increase over the previous year.
Source: The Maritime Executive
Why it matters to you
If you have stock stuck in a factory or waiting for a slot in East China, the 'typhoon excuse’ is dead. The port is not just back to normal, it is operating at record speed. You can now trust the dates your forwarder gives you for departures out of Shanghai.
For those shipping high-volume goods, the fact that the port worked through Golden Week means the usual October lull did not happen. Your goods are moving faster, but your warehouse in the US or UK needs to be ready for a concentrated arrival of containers.
If you are using the Port of Los Angeles, expect the pressure to stay high. Los Angeles reported its best single month in history in September with over 1 million TEU. The efficiency in Shanghai is simply pushing the bottleneck further down the line to the US West Coast.
The hot take
Shanghai is showing that automation beats weather. They cleared a massive backlog while simultaneously hitting a record. Stop worrying about the China side of the lane and start worrying about your US drayage and warehouse receiving capacity.
What to do about it
- Confirm your vessel departure dates with your forwarder now that the backlog is cleared
- Alert your US destination warehouse to prepare for a surge of arrivals following the September record
Dry bulk freight index hits 3-month low
The short version
The Baltic Dry Index fell 1.3% to 2,515 points on 16 October, marking its tenth consecutive daily decline.
What happened
The Baltic Exchange reported the dry bulk freight index fell to a fresh low since 30 June. The benchmark index dropped about 14% over the week, extending a losing streak to three weeks.
The Capesize index, used for 150,000-ton cargoes like iron ore, fell 2.2% to 3,249 points, its lowest since early April. The Panamax index fell 1.8% to 2,314 points.
Analysts attribute the drop to weak iron ore demand and subdued sentiment in the Chinese steel market, alongside high vessel availability.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
Why it matters to you
If you source raw materials, minerals, or heavy industrial components shipped in bulk, your shipping costs are trending down. This is a rare win for your landed cost in a volatile year.
However, for the average ecommerce operator shipping containers, this is a distraction. Dry bulk rates do not dictate container spot rates. Do not let a forwarder use the 'falling bulk market’ as a reason to suggest container rates will drop before the New Year.
If you are sourcing steel-based products, the 'subdued sentiment’ in the Chinese steel market might give you leverage to push your factory for a lower unit price on your next PO.
The hot take
The bulk market is a canary in the coal mine for Chinese industrial demand. Steel is soft, and the ships are empty. This suggests the 'export boom’ is driven by consumer goods, not industrial growth.
What to do about it
- Use the weak steel market sentiment to negotiate better unit prices with your manufacturers
- Ignore bulk rate drops when negotiating your container contracts
Ningbo-Zhoushan tests multi-fuel bunkering
The short version
Ningbo-Zhoushan port supplied LNG, methanol, and B24 biofuel to different ships on the same day on 30 September.
What happened
On 30 September, three bunker vessels delivered 3,300 mt of LNG, 7,500 mt of methanol, and 3,000 mt of B24 biofuel at three different terminals in the Ningbo-Zhoushan port.
This is the first time the port has supplied three different marine fuels on a single day. Separately, the ammonia bunker vessel Shenghang Yongle delivered 1,000 mt of green ammonia to the bulk carrier Mineral Europa at Zhoushan via ship-to-ship transfer.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
Why it matters to you
You likely do not care about the fuel in the ship, but you should care about the carriers using these fuels. Carriers investing in methanol and ammonia are the ones who will avoid the heaviest EU carbon taxes in the coming years.
If you are planning long-term contracts for 2027, ask your carriers about their alternative fuel adoption. Ships using these 'green’ fuels will have more stable access to European ports as regulations tighten.
This infrastructure shift in Ningbo shows that the major Chinese hubs are preparing for a world where heavy fuel oil is penalized. It ensures that the lanes you rely on will stay open regardless of fuel regulation changes.
The hot take
The fuel transition is happening faster in the ports than in the boardrooms. Ningbo is building the menu, and the carriers who don’t adapt will eventually pass the cost of 'dirty’ fuel on to you through surcharges.
What to do about it
- Ask your primary carrier for their alternative fuel roadmap for the Asia-Europe lane
- Track which carriers are using the Ningbo green fuel hubs to identify the most future-proof partners
Content hooks
Angles from today’s stories, ready to turn into a post, a video or a note to your list. Take them. That is what they are for.
- 01 Shanghai Port just hit a record 5.1 million TEU and the typhoon excuse is officially dead.
- 02 The Port of Los Angeles is seeing its best month in history while Shanghai clears its backlog.
- 03 Dry bulk rates are crashing but don’t let your forwarder confuse that with container rates.
- 04 Ningbo-Zhoushan is now bunkering LNG, methanol, and biofuel on the same day.
- 05 The real Q4 bottleneck has shifted from the China coast to the US West Coast.
- 06 Steel demand in China is softening, giving you a window to negotiate factory prices.
- 07 Green ammonia is now being bunkered in Zhoushan, changing the cost of future shipping.
- 08 Shanghai worked through Golden Week, meaning the October lull never happened.
- 09 Automation at the Mingdong Terminal is moving 30,000 TEUs in 24 hours.
- 10 Your 2027 shipping strategy should include a check on your carrier’s fuel type.
Questions people are asking
- Is Shanghai port still congested from the typhoons?
- No. The Shanghai International Port Group reports that operations have fully returned to normal. In September, the port handled a record 5.135 million TEU, which is a 6.2% increase over September 2025. They have cleared the backlogs caused by typhoons in July through optimised berthing and loading operations.
- Are container shipping rates dropping because the Baltic Dry Index is falling?
- No. The Baltic Dry Index tracks dry bulk commodities like iron ore and coal, not containerised ecommerce goods. While the index hit a 3-month low on 16 October due to weak Chinese steel demand, container rates are driven by different market forces, specifically Q4 peak season demand and carrier capacity management.
- Did the Golden Week holiday slow down shipments from China?
- Not in Shanghai. While many businesses take a break during the National Day holiday (1-3 October), the Shanghai International Port Group maintained operations throughout the week. The port handled 1.15 million TEU during the holiday period, a 1.3% increase over the previous year.
The bottom line
The bottom line
Shanghai Port handled a record 5.135 million TEU in September, proving the typhoon backlog is gone. Dry bulk rates are crashing, but container shippers should ignore the noise and focus on the Q4 rush.