UK & Ireland Port Congestion Report
Operational advisory, not a numerical congestion ranking
No comparable, timestamped primary measurement was verified this week for port-wide waiting times, vessel queues, berth utilisation or congestion scores. Unknown does not mean normal: it means the evidence needed to calculate a defensible ranking was unavailable.
Weekly evidence summary
Liverpool’s official notice page still lists local dock, bridge and lock notices. The Canada 90-foot Swing Bridge and Alfred Lock notices had time-limited windows that ended before this report was published; the source does not confirm actual reopening, so operators should verify locally. Royal Seaforth S7/S8 and the South Gladstone south quay remain within their stated closure periods. Dublin Port continues to list maintenance dredging and survey work. Met Office marine forecasts issued on 18 September carry Irish Sea and nearby coastal gale or strong-wind conditions. These are operational constraints and weather context—not measurements of port-wide congestion.
Verified position at publication
| Port or area | Verified finding | Evidence time | What importers should check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | Notices 55 and 57 remain within their stated closure periods: Royal Seaforth S7/part S8 through 29 September and South Gladstone south quay through 27 September. Notices 62 and 63 describe time-limited bridge/lock windows that have now ended; no reopening confirmation or port-wide waiting time was found. | Peel Ports index rechecked 18 September at 15:05 BST. | Confirm vessel movement route, berth availability, lock/bridge access and terminal collection slot with the carrier, terminal or Dockmaster. |
| Dublin | Notice 48 says maintenance dredging began 3 September for approximately three weeks. Notice 39.3 schedules survey work from 13 September, but two public copies conflict on the approximate end date. | Dublin Port notice index rechecked 18 September at 15:05 BST. | Ask Dublin Port VTS or the carrier which work area applies, whether manoeuvring restrictions affect the call and which survey end date is current. |
| Irish Sea / Holyhead | The shipping forecast issued 10:30 UTC retains an Irish Sea gale warning and forecasts southwest force 5–7, occasionally gale 8 at first, easing later. This does not establish a delay at Holyhead. | Forecast valid 12:00 UTC 18 September to 12:00 UTC 19 September. | Check the operator’s live sailing notice and terminal cut-off before dispatching a driver. |
| Belfast / Larne | The inshore forecast issued 12:00 UTC lists strong winds for Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough and the Firth of Clyde/North Channel. No port-specific queue or waiting-time measurement was verified. | Forecast valid 12:00 UTC 18 September to 12:00 UTC 19 September. | Confirm sailing status, accompanied/unaccompanied cut-off and collection appointment directly with the operator. |
| Other 12 covered ports | No current, comparable port-wide queue, waiting-time or berth-utilisation measurement was verified. Conditions are therefore unknown, not zero or normal. | Evidence ledger reviewed 18 September. | Use the 17-port tracker for source coverage and confirm shipment-specific conditions before routing. |
What changed over the past seven days
- New Liverpool restrictions were recorded. Notice 62 covered Canada 90-foot Swing Bridge on 17 September; Notice 63 covered Alfred Lock on the 18 September high-water tide. Both stated windows had ended by publication, but no independent reopening confirmation was located.
- Several earlier Liverpool windows ended. The Langton Lock schedule in Notice 43 ended on 11 September, Notice 60’s A-Bridge window ended on 14 September and Notice 59’s Gladstone Lock window ended on 15 September.
- Ongoing Liverpool berth/dock restrictions remain. Notices 55 and 57 continue within their stated periods.
- Dublin’s public notice position is materially unchanged. Dredging and survey notices remain listed; the conflict between two public Notice 39.3 end dates is unresolved.
- Marine weather deteriorated for this report’s publication window. The current Met Office forecast includes Irish Sea gale conditions and strong winds around nearby coasts. This is weather context only; no carrier cancellation or port-wide delay was inferred.
No numerical week-on-week congestion change is calculated because there are no comparable verified port-wide measurements for either week.
Primary evidence
- Peel Ports: Liverpool notice index; Notice 55; Notice 57; Notice 62; Notice 63.
- Dublin Port: official 2026 notice index; Notice 48; Notice 39.3 copy one; Notice 39.3 copy two.
- Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency: shipping forecast and inshore waters forecast.
Questions to ask before booking or collection
- Has the vessel schedule or terminal cut-off changed since the booking confirmation?
- Does a lock, bridge, dredging or survey notice affect this vessel, berth or collection route?
- Is a vehicle appointment required, and is the slot still confirmed?
- Are customs release, port health or transit documents complete before dispatch?
- When does free time begin, and who bears demurrage, detention or storage if the plan changes?
Plan a shipment around these notices
Carrgo can check the intended port, service and routing against the available operational evidence. For a shipment-specific plan, use the quote form with origin, destination, goods and approximate weight or volume. You can choose “I’m not sure” for dimensions.
Methodology and limitations
Carrgo reviews dated public primary sources and records each supported claim at the narrowest defensible level. Port or terminal notices support only the location and period they name. Weather forecasts describe sea or coastal areas and are not treated as evidence of terminal queues. Carrgo does not currently use a verified AIS feed and does not calculate a numerical congestion, health, queue or berth-utilisation score without traceable measurements and a reproducible method. Missing values remain unknown. Advice is separated from facts, and users should confirm time-sensitive arrangements with the relevant carrier, terminal, port or VTS.
View the 17-port evidence tracker · Download JSON evidence · Download CSV evidence · Report archive