Why Are Shipments Delayed Right Now?
1. Attacks in the Red Sea
Since late 2023, Houthi rebels (a militant group based in Yemen) have been launching missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea. This has made the area — including the Suez Canal, one of the world’s busiest and most critical shipping routes — extremely dangerous.
For real-time updates, you can search “Suez Canal attack” online.
2. Rerouting Around Africa
To avoid the conflict zone, major shipping lines such as Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM are rerouting vessels via the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa.
This detour adds around 14 extra days to standard shipping timelines between Asia and Europe.
It also increases fuel, insurance, and operating costs due to the longer and riskier journey.
3. Port Congestion and Logistics Disruptions
These rerouting measures have created ripple effects across the global supply chain:
Severe congestion at both Asian and European ports, as vessels arrive off-schedule and are sometimes rerouted to alternative ports
Disrupted vessel schedules, leading to shipment delays
Container shortages, as longer voyages reduce equipment turnaround times
4. Stricter Philippine Customs Procedures
Recently, the Philippine Bureau of Customs has implemented tighter inspection and clearance procedures for balikbayan boxes.
This adds several days to the clearance process once containers arrive in the Philippines
More thorough inspections are also causing longer queues and slower release times
What This Means for You — As a Balikbayan Box Sender
Due to these global and local issues, shipping timelines that previously took 45 to 60 days are now taking at least 90 days for containers to arrive at the Port of Manila.
For inquiries or updates, feel free to contact us at 0870516785.
We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging period for international logistics. Rest assured, we’re doing everything we can to deliver your boxes as soon as possible.