September 3rd, 2026 – Ocean carriers are rerouting vessels away from the Panama Canal and skipping typhoon-affected ports in China as mounting disruptions extend transit times to the U.S. East Coast. Some delays are now stretching into weeks, prompting more shippers to redirect peak-season cargo through West Coast ports.
OOCL is avoiding the Panama Canal on the current voyage of the 16,828-TEU OOCL Lilac, which departed Xiamen last weekend. The vessel is instead sailing westbound through the Indian Ocean and also skipped its Shanghai call, allowing it to make the roughly 30-day journey to the Port of New York and New Jersey by the end of September.
The diversion follows delays for another vessel on the same South Atlantic Express service. The OOCL Lavender spent nine days waiting outside the Pacific locks of the Panama Canal before transiting and arriving at New York-New Jersey.
CMA CGM is making a similar adjustment with the 11,356-TEU CMA CGM Leo. After departing Shanghai, the vessel will bypass Panama and make a one-time transit through the Suez Canal, with arrival in Norfolk expected by October 1st.
The temporary changes reflect growing pressure from congestion at the Panama Canal combined with lingering disruption from a series of typhoons in China. Although carriers are adjusting their networks to improve schedule reliability, skipped port calls are leaving cargo behind and contributing to further congestion.
Shanghai is experiencing loading delays of three to eight days, while delays at Ningbo are reaching four days. Congestion at major Chinese ports is expected to persist through September, further complicating fall shipping schedules.
The Premier Alliance has also rerouted vessels that would typically use the Panama Canal. Three ships on its primary East Coast service and two serving the Gulf Coast have instead been routed around the Cape of Good Hope. Those diversions could add another 10 to 13 days of transit time to vessels already delayed by severe weather in Asia.
Other carriers are selectively omitting heavily affected ports such as Ningbo and Shanghai to recover schedules, adding approximately four to seven days to some Asia departures.
Meanwhile, tightening Panama Canal restrictions are creating another challenge for carriers. Reduced rainfall has forced the Panama Canal Authority to limit vessel drafts and reduce available transit slots, potentially increasing waiting times and restricting the amount of cargo vessels can carry.
The canal’s maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax vessels was reduced to 48 feet on September 2nd, while a further reduction to 47.5 feet is currently scheduled for October 1st. Daily transit capacity is also being reduced, with Neopanamax slots falling to nine and Panamax slots to 25 beginning September 3rd. Panamax capacity will fall again to 23 daily slots on September 15th.
As a result, carriers are increasingly prioritizing lighter cargo for Panama Canal transits while heavier freight is being considered for alternative routes. Some shippers are also shifting East Coast-bound cargo through West Coast ports and using transloading and inland transportation to meet delivery deadlines.
Timing will become even more critical with Taiwan’s Moon Festival at the end of September followed closely by China’s Golden Week holiday in early October. The back-to-back holidays will compress available shipping windows heading into the U.S. holiday season.
With uncertainty surrounding Asia port congestion and Panama Canal capacity, shippers may need to book several weeks in advance and consider alternative routings to keep fall and holiday cargo on schedule.
