Typhoon Dolphin continues to affect ocean and air freight operations across East China following its impact on the region over the weekend. While the storm is weakening as it moves inland and some operations are beginning to resume, significant disruptions remain across Shanghai and Ningbo, with residual delays expected as ports and airports work through the accumulated backlog.
Shippers with cargo moving through Shanghai and Ningbo should continue to plan for potential delays over the coming days.
In Shanghai, port operations at Yangshan and Waigaoqiao remain suspended, affecting vessel berthing, loading and departures. Container yards closures and suspended terminal gate-in services are also affecting FCL movements, with cargo being held at warehouses until terminal services resume.
In Ningbo, multiple terminals suspended empty container pickup and return operations, as well as laden container receiving and pickup services. These operations resumed at 16:00 local time on Monday August 10.
While the resumption of terminal operations marks the beginning of recovery, delays are expected to continue as ports work through accumulated cargo and vessel backlogs. The disruption may also add further pressure to existing congestion at Shanghai and Ningbo, potentially affecting vessel berthing and departure schedules over the coming days.
Air freight operations in Shanghai continue to experience significant disruption.
Over 1,300 inbound and outbound flights were cancelled at Shanghai’s two airports on August 9, representing approximately 60% of scheduled flights. An additional 943 flight cancellations are planned for August 10.
Air export cargo originally scheduled to depart August 9 and 10 is expected to experience delays of at least one to two days, with cargo backlog expected at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) as flight operations recover.
Air imports are also experiencing delays. Local terminal handling and distribution operations have slowed as a result of the storm and are currently estimated to be running approximately 8–10 hours behind normal operations.
Flight operations are expected to gradually resume following the passage of the storm, but residual delays may continue as airlines and terminals clear accumulated cargo.
All times mentioned above are in China Standard Time (CST, UTC+8).
Although Typhoon Dolphin is weakening and operations are beginning to resume, its impact on East China’s major ocean and air gateways is expected to extend beyond the immediate weather event.
Shippers moving cargo through Shanghai and Ningbo should continue to plan for delays over the next several days, particularly for vessel departures and air export shipments. Congestion and cargo backlog may persist as terminals, carriers and airports work through accumulated volumes following the disruption
C.H. Robinson teams are closely monitoring developments across affected gateways and are working directly with air and ocean carriers, ports, terminal operators, and customers to minimize disruption where possible. Please contact your C.H. Robinson representative for additional support and information.