Typhoon Dolphin shipping delays affecting China ports, Shanghai, Ningbo and Australian import schedules

China Port Congestion Update: Typhoon Dolphin Shipping Delays Continue

News, TFG / August 16, 2026

Typhoon Dolphin has now moved through eastern China, but the shipping impact is still being felt across parts of the region.

For Australian importers, the important point is this: the worst of the weather may pass quickly, but the freight disruption often takes longer to clear.

This latest update follows our earlier China port congestion update, where we reported growing delays across Shanghai, Ningbo and South China ports after Typhoon Bavi and Typhoon Noul created vessel backlogs, terminal pressure and container rollovers.

Since then, Super Typhoon Dolphin has added another layer of disruption.

Reuters reported that Dolphin made landfall in Zhejiang province with sustained winds of 151 km/h before weakening, while continuing to bring heavy rain across eastern China, including Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong. Reuters also reported major disruption in Shanghai, with around 943 flights cancelled across the city’s two airports.

The immediate storm may have weakened, but Typhoon Dolphin shipping delays can continue through vessel bunching, terminal recovery, yard pressure, missed berthing windows, carrier schedule changes and rolled bookings.

For importers, the question remains simple : Has your container actually loaded?

What Has Changed Since the Last China Port Congestion Update?

The key change is that Dolphin is no longer only a forecast risk. It has now made landfall and moved through eastern China.

Before landfall, Reuters reported that China had shut ports and airports ahead of the storm, with parts of Shanghai’s port suspending operations and Ningbo Lishe International Airport also affected. Rail services in the Yangtze Delta were also disrupted.

AP News also reported significant disruption across eastern China, including Shanghai metro disruption, more than 900 flight cancellations and around 800 ships being docked at Ningbo ahead of the storm.

That matters because China’s port network was already under pressure before Dolphin arrived.

Shanghai and Ningbo were still working through the earlier disruption from Typhoon Bavi. South China ports had also been affected by vessel delays, rerouting and congestion pressure.

Dolphin has now added fresh disruption into a network that had not fully returned to normal.

Why Typhoon Dolphin Shipping Delays Can Continue After the Storm

Typhoon disruption does not end when the wind and rain ease. Ports still need to work through delayed vessels, missed berthing windows, changed vessel rotations, yard congestion and containers that did not load as planned.

This is why the supply chain impact can continue for days, and sometimes longer, after the weather event itself. The most common follow-on issues are:

  • Vessels arriving in clusters after waiting offshore
  • Containers missing planned sailings
  • Carriers rolling bookings to later vessels
  • Changed ETDs and ETAs
  • Port omissions as carriers try to recover schedules
  • Longer yard dwell times
  • Delayed feeder services
  • Missed transhipment connections
  • Reduced certainty around arrival dates into Australia

This is the real issue for importers.

A port may technically reopen, but that does not mean every vessel, container and booking immediately returns to plan.

Shanghai and Ningbo Remain the Key Areas to Watch

Shanghai and Ningbo remain the key China export ports to watch closely.

Shanghai was already exposed to earlier weather-related congestion, vessel bunching and terminal pressure. Dolphin then brought further heavy rain and transport disruption across the region.

Ningbo is also important because it sits within the broader East China port network. When Shanghai is disrupted, pressure can spread to Ningbo. When Ningbo is disrupted, carriers may adjust rotations, delay departures or reroute cargo through other ports.

AP reported that Ningbo docked around 800 ships ahead of Dolphin, while Reuters reported that Ningbo airport and parts of Shanghai’s port had already suspended operations ahead of landfall.

For Australian importers, the issue is not only whether Shanghai or Ningbo are open.

The issue is whether your specific vessel is operating, whether your container made cut-off, whether the cargo loaded, and whether the carrier has changed the sailing schedule.

South China Flow-On Risk Should Not Be Ignored

South China also remains part of the picture. Yantian, Shekou and Nansha have already been under pressure from delayed vessels and rerouted cargo flows. While Dolphin’s main impact was focused on eastern China, schedule disruption in Shanghai and Ningbo can still create flow-on effects across wider China export services.

When carriers adjust schedules in one region, the impact can spread through vessel rotations and space availability elsewhere.

This can affect:

  • Direct sailings
  • Feeder services
  • Transhipment connections
  • Empty container repositioning
  • Booking availability
  • Space allocation on later sailings

Importers should not assume their cargo is safe from delay simply because it is not moving directly through Shanghai.

China’s export network is connected, and disruption in one major gateway can affect other ports.

What This Means for Australian Importers

For Australian importers, this is still a live operational issue.

Typhoon Dolphin shipping delays may affect cargo that is already booked, cargo waiting to gate in, cargo that has missed cut-off, and cargo that is being rolled to a later sailing.

The most likely impacts are:

  • Delayed vessel departures from China
  • Rolled containers
  • Missed cut-offs
  • Vessel omissions
  • Changed ETDs and ETAs
  • Longer terminal dwell time
  • Delayed transhipment connections
  • Reduced confidence in original arrival dates
  • More difficult customer delivery planning

This is especially important for businesses importing:

  • Retail stock
  • Seasonal goods
  • Machinery
  • Industrial components
  • Building products
  • Packaging
  • Promotional goods
  • Project cargo
  • Manufacturing inputs
  • Goods tied to customer installation dates

The original ETA should not be treated as fixed unless the cargo has loaded and the vessel has departed.

What Importers Should Check Now

Importers with cargo moving from China should review shipment status carefully over the coming days.

Key questions include:

  • Has the container actually loaded?
  • Has the vessel departed?
  • Has the ETD changed?
  • Has the ETA changed?
  • Has the booking been rolled?
  • Has the vessel omitted any ports?
  • Has the cargo missed cut-off?
  • Is the carrier still operating the planned service?
  • Is the shipment moving through Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Shekou or Nansha?
  • Is there any impact on transhipment connections?
  • Are customer delivery commitments still realistic?

This is not the time to rely only on the original booking confirmation.

A booking is not the same as a loaded container.

Until the cargo is on board and the vessel has departed, the shipment remains exposed to further changes.

Should Importers Change Routing?

Some importers may look at alternative ports or services when China congestion builds. That can help in some cases, but it is not always the right answer.

Changing routing can create its own risks, including longer inland transport, missed cut-offs, extra cost, new documentation requirements, equipment availability issues and exposure to congestion at the alternative port.

The better approach is to review each shipment individually. For urgent cargo, it may be worth checking alternative sailings or even split-mode options. For less urgent cargo, the best decision may be to stay with the existing routing but adjust customer delivery expectations.

The lowest freight rate is not always the best option when the market is disrupted.

Reliability, loading priority, carrier communication and realistic lead time matter.

TFG Global Recommendation

TFG Global recommends that Australian importers continue monitoring China shipments closely while the effects of Typhoon Dolphin work through the port and carrier network.

The main weather event may have passed, but schedule risk remains.

Shanghai and Ningbo are still the key ports to watch, while South China ports may also feel flow-on pressure through vessel rotations, space allocation and changed schedules.

If your cargo is urgent, do not rely only on the original ETD or ETA.

  • Check whether the container has loaded.
  • Check whether the vessel has departed.
  • Check whether the booking has been rolled.
  • Check whether the ETA into Australia is still realistic.

TFG Global is continuing to monitor the situation with overseas partners, carriers and customers. We will keep providing updates while China port congestion and Typhoon Dolphin shipping delays remain relevant for Australian importers.

If you have cargo moving from China, speak with the TFG Global team before making firm delivery commitments.

—

When it comes to freight forwarding, we are the full package. Market-leading service, values, and solutions.

For all your freight-forwarding solutions, internationally and Australia-wide, you need TFG Global.

Phone: 1300 (693 734) MY FREIGHT | +61 3 9090 7546
Email: andrew@tfgglobal.com.au
Web: www.tfgglobal.com.au

Disclaimer

TFG Global makes reasonable efforts to ensure the information contained in this publication is accurate and current at the time of writing. However, freight markets, carrier operations, regulatory requirements, and supply chain conditions are subject to change and may vary by shipment, trade lane, carrier, port, or service.

This publication may include information sourced from third parties, industry reports, carrier updates, and publicly available data. While TFG Global considers these sources to be reliable, it does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such information, nor does it endorse any third-party views or opinions.

The information provided is general in nature and does not constitute legal, financial, customs, or logistics advice. Nothing in this publication is intended to exclude, restrict, or modify any rights or remedies available under Australian Consumer Law.

To the extent permitted by law, TFG Global disclaims liability for any loss, damage, cost, or expense arising from reliance on this information, whether direct or indirect. Readers should seek advice specific to their circumstances before making freight or supply chain decisions.

Sources and Industry Intelligence

This update is based on:

Scroll to Top