Research — November 28, 2025
Middle East, India and Africa port congestion analysis − Q3 2025
By Max Janthur and Turloch Mooney
In this issue of Port Congestion Analysis, we examine port performance at main ports in the Middle East, India and Africa during third quarter 2025.
The analysis examines year-over-year developments in several critical metrics, including port throughput (total calls and average call size), port-moves-per-hour, berth-moves-per-hour, arrival process time and container dwell time (import, export and transshipment).
Key Highlights
Middle East and India
- Average call size and total calls stayed relatively the same for half of the ports from the sample group.
- Oceanside productivity improved year over year at most ports from the sample group, with Djibouti exhibiting the most significant enhancement.
- Berth productivity increased at most ports within the sample group, with Muhammad Bin Qasim and Djibouti showing the most notable advancements.
- During third quarter 2025, year-over-year improvements were achieved by almost all ports in the sample group.
- Average import dwell time ranged from three to nine days for most cases.
- Most of the monthly average export dwell time cases within the sample groups ranged from three to ten days.
- Average transshipment dwell time varied across the sample ports; the majority of cases ranged from three to ten days.
Africa
- Most ports in the sample group experienced an increase in average call size and total calls year over year.
- Oceanside productivity fluctuated across the sample group year over year, with Durban demonstrating the most substantial improvement.
- Berth productivity improved year over year at most ports within the sample group, with Cape Town showing the most notable progress.
- Half of the ports in the sample group experienced a year-over-year increase in arrival process time, with Mombasa and Conakry reporting significant rises.
- Average import dwell time development varied across the sample group, with Cape Town, Durban and Ngqura maintaining their short dwell times. Average import dwell time ranged from two to 10 days in most cases.
- Export dwell time varied across the group, Conakry and Luanda saw a big increase in export dwell time in October 2025. Most cases saw an average export dwell time that ranged from three to 12 days.
- Transshipment dwell time varied across the sample group, with Durban, Cotonou and Cape Town notably improving their dwell times by the end October 2025. Most cases ranged from seven to 17 days.
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