Port Congestion Map
When a shipment is late or a service is missing schedule, congestion at the destination port is one of the factors worth checking. The Port Congestion Map shows where vessels are holding outside container terminals worldwide: how many are waiting versus actively in port, and how long they have been waiting. It surfaces the signal; it does not assign cause. Extended waits can reflect port-side constraints, upstream schedule deviation, weather, or a mix, and confirming the root cause requires looking at service performance and deviation alongside this view.
Use it to:
- Spot disruption early. See which ports are backing up before delays show up in your transit time data.
- See where vessels are stacking up. Use the map to identify which ports are showing extended waits, then bring in service performance and deviation data to investigate root cause. The map shows the where, not the why.
- Plan around risk. Use sustained congestion patterns to identify chokepoints, build resilient alternatives, and inform operational pivots during a crisis. The map flags where to dig deeper; it does not by itself confirm a port is the cause of disruption.
The map covers container terminals globally and updates once a day, Monday through Friday. Data comes from AIS (Automatic Identification System) signals and captain's next port declarations, processed through Xeneta's congestion logic.
Important limitations to keep in mind
Port congestion is one signal in a more complex reliability picture. Before drawing conclusions, keep the following in mind:
- This is not an end-to-end operational tool. Congestion at a port is the tip of a complex reliability iceberg; it does not tell you what is causing the wait or what happens next.
- Congestion ratio is a simple measure. Use it alongside other metrics in Ocean Schedules (on-time percentage, transit times, and blank sailings) to understand whether disruption is rooted in the port, the service, the carrier, or a combination.
- The map does not include portside utility or operations data (crane availability, terminal throughput, etc.). Congestion ratio is based purely on vessel positions and the waiting logic described below.
- AIS data has inherent limitations. If a captain declares a next port incorrectly or does not update their AIS transponder, those vessels will still be counted. We do not validate individual operational scenarios at each port.
Where does the data come from?
Congestion data is sourced from eeSea and is based on two inputs:
- AIS vessel position data, updated every three hours from satellite and terrestrial receivers.
- Captain's next port declarations — the destination port a vessel's crew has entered into their AIS transponder.
The map itself is updated once a day, Monday through Friday. Weekend updates are not currently available.
How congestion ratio is calculated
Congestion ratio = vessels waiting ÷ (vessels waiting + vessels in port)
In plain terms: what share of the vessels associated with a port are currently waiting rather than actively docked.
What counts as 'waiting'?
A vessel is counted as waiting if all three of the following are true:
- The captain's next port declaration specifies the port in question.
- The vessel is moving at less than 2 knots.
- The vessel is within 400 nautical miles of that port.
This logic intentionally casts a wider net than the port's official anchorage geofence. The benefit is capturing vessels that are clearly waiting but positioned just outside the formal anchorage boundary. The trade-off is occasional false positives; the methodology accepts this in order to avoid undercounting congestion.
Average wait time is a separate metric and does not affect the congestion ratio calculation, but it is critical to reading severity. Two ports can show the same 50% congestion ratio yet operate very differently: one turning vessels out in 1 to 2 hours, the other holding them for 3 to 4 days. Always read the ratio alongside average wait time before judging how disruptive the situation is.
How to read the map
Bubble color indicates congestion severity:
| Color | What it means |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Red | Severe — congestion ratio ≥ 60% |
| 🟡 Yellow | Moderate — congestion ratio 30–59% |
| 🟢 Green | Minimal — congestion ratio < 30% |
Bubble size reflects the total number of vessels (waiting + in port). A large green bubble means a busy port with relatively little congestion; a small red bubble means fewer vessels but most of them are waiting.
What historical data is available?
The timeline slider lets you look back at previous days, but there is an important difference between today's data and past data:
| View | What you see |
|---|---|
| Today (most recent update) | Congestion ratio, vessel count, and individual vessel wait time details |
| Previous dates | Average congestion ratio only — vessel-level details are not available for past dates |
The waiting ratio and vessel stats for today reflect vessels that are currently still waiting. This is not a historical turnover rate; it does not account for vessels that started waiting and left before the most recent update.
When you drag the slider to a past date, only the congestion ratio value changes. Vessel details shown will remain the same as the most recent update.
Coverage
- Global coverage, limited to container terminals.
- Non-container vessels, bunkering vessels, bunkering locations, and bunkering activity are not tracked or displayed.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a vessel counted as waiting even though it is not in the anchorage area?
Our waiting logic extends beyond the formal anchorage geofence to capture vessels that are clearly holding for a port but positioned just outside it. If the captain's next port matches, the vessel is going at under 2 knots, and it is within 400 nautical miles, it is counted. This produces a more complete picture of congestion, with the occasional false positive as an accepted trade-off.
Why does a port show congestion when I know operations have returned to normal?
AIS data depends on what captains declare and transmit. If a captain listed a port as their next destination and has not updated their transponder, even if operations at that port have changed, those vessels will still be counted. We do not validate the operational scenario at each port.
Does average wait time affect the congestion ratio?
No. Average wait time is a standalone metric. It does not feed into or influence the congestion ratio calculation.
Why does the congestion ratio look different from yesterday when I drag the slider back?
Past dates show average congestion values only. Today's view includes real-time vessel details, but historical views are averaged snapshots. Vessel details do not change when you move to past dates; they always reflect the most recent update.
How often is the map updated?
Once per day, Monday through Friday. Weekend updates are not yet available.
Is this available as part of Ocean Schedules?
Yes. Port Congestion is built into Ocean Schedules. It is designed to be used alongside reliability metrics (on-time percentage, transit times, blank sailings) rather than in isolation.
Updated about 5 hours ago