By Suri Yang    Photo：CANVA

Since the pandemic, the term 'port omission' has frequently surfaced in our daily operations. What exactly is port omission, and how should we explain and handle such situations with clients? This poses a significant challenge for freight forwarders, as it may involve additional costs that shipping companies will not cover.

First, let's clarify what port omission means. It refers to a ship temporarily departing from its scheduled port. For example, consider our November voyage aboard the MSK-M/V AS SIMONE/546W. The vessel was originally scheduled to depart from Shekou Por on November 23rd. Since the MSK vessel's six-day voyage (including the departure day) allowed for container pickup and return, we planned to collect the Jigui container on November 18th and load it on the 19th. However, the shipping company notified us on the morning of the 19th that the vessel would not dock at Shekou Port—this is port diversion.

Secondly, why does the port omission phenomenon occur?

Traditionally, port changes by shipping companies typically occur under one of the following three scenarios.

1. Due to congestion. Take the Meixian Line as an example: when a ship encounters severe congestion at Ningbo Port, the waiting time outside the port for entry exceeds the original schedule by two days. The next ports of call are Xiamen Port and Shenzhen Port. To ensure punctual arrival at Los Angeles Port, the shipping company may decide to skip Xiamen Port and directly load containers at Shenzhen Port, then proceed from Shenzhen Port to Los Angeles Port, leaving the cargo at Xiamen Port to await another vessel.

2. Due to low cargo volume. Shipping companies maintain advance cargo volume budgets for each port of call. If a vessel's booking shows insufficient container space to cover its port call costs, they may cancel the port stop.

3. Port paralysis. When typhoons or other force majeure events disrupt normal operations, ports may become paralyzed. For instance, during typhoon warnings, ports close during yellow alerts, causing most ships to miss scheduled berths. After the storm, numerous vessels remain stranded outside the port, sometimes waiting for a week or longer. In such cases, shipping companies may opt to skip port calls.

Finally, how should we respond to such situations and explain them to clients?

1. Advance monitoring: Before loading the cargo, it's advisable to check the port website for any changes in the vessel's scheduled arrival time.

2. Timely communication—Contact the shipping company immediately to confirm whether our cargo has been assigned to the designated water transfer vessel, the specific sailing schedule, or if it has been rerouted to another transit vessel.

3. File Update: After obtaining the new S/O, revise the bill of lading. If customs declaration has not been completed, use the updated ship name and voyage to file the declaration, to prevent export clearance issues caused by incorrect ship name and voyage.

4. Customer communication: Clearly explain the shipping company's notice and relevant details to the client, and explicitly inform them of the new sailing schedule.

5. Cost Coordination—Discuss the specific circumstances with the shipping company to explore potential fee reductions, such as for storage or container rentals.

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