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 for a defensible ranking was unavailable.
Weekly evidence summary
This edition covers the verified changes from 9 to 16 October. Liverpool added a navigational notice for temporary C11 removal to support dredging, while the scheduled Gladstone Lock window on 15 October has passed without a published reopening confirmation. Dublin Notice 49 and Belfast Notices 24 and 26 remain relevant, but their indexes do not provide real-time completion or traffic status. The 16 October Met Office forecast has no formal gale warning for the Irish Sea, Shannon or Malin; strong-wind warnings remain for the Lough Foyle–Carlingford Lough and North Channel inshore sectors. These are local operating 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 | Notice 69 states that C11, an east cardinal mark, was removed to enable dredging. Dredger Vox Alexia is expected around 26 October and C11 is expected off station until mid-November. Notice 68’s Gladstone Lock closure was scheduled for 07:00–12:00 on 15 October; that window has ended, but no reopening confirmation is published. | Notice 69 dated 14 October; index rechecked 16 October at 08:20 BST. | Ask the carrier whether C11-related navigation advice affects the vessel plan, whether Gladstone Lock is confirmed open, and whether the Dockmaster has issued an amended instruction. |
| Dublin | Notice 49 remains the latest listed notice. Its capital dredging campaign was scheduled from 1 October for approximately two weeks, but the index does not confirm the real-time work stage or completion. | Notice dated 22 September; official index rechecked 16 October. | Ask Dublin Port VTS or the carrier which work area applies to the call and whether manoeuvring, berth or terminal cut-off arrangements have changed. |
| Belfast | Notice 26 remains latest after the scheduled HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH departure period on 12 October, but completion is not confirmed. Notice 24 schedules D3 dredging through 5 January 2027 and allows Belfast VTS to introduce one-way traffic when necessary. | Official archive rechecked 16 October; Notice 24 dated 1 October. | Confirm whether Belfast VTS has introduced one-way traffic, which berth approach applies, and whether any vessel-specific restriction remains active. |
| Irish Sea, Malin, Shannon and North Channel | The 16 October shipping forecast has no formal gale warning for the Irish Sea, Shannon or Malin. The inshore forecast retains strong-wind warnings for Lough Foyle–Carlingford Lough and the North Channel, with occasional force 6 in the North Channel. | Met Office forecasts issued 16 October at 04:05 and 06:00 UTC. | Check the operator’s live sailing notice, driver cut-off and terminal appointment. Weather advice does not prove a port delay. |
| Other 10 covered ports | No current, comparable port-wide queue, waiting-time or berth-utilisation measurement was verified. Conditions are therefore unknown, not zero or normal. | 16 October evidence ledger and primary-source review. | Use the 17-port tracker for source coverage and confirm shipment-specific conditions before routing. |
What changed over the past seven days
- Liverpool added a new navigational notice. Notice 69 records C11 removed for dredging, with Vox Alexia expected around 26 October and the mark expected off station until mid-November. This is a local navigational advisory, not evidence of a Liverpool-wide queue.
- The Gladstone Lock window passed. Notice 68’s scheduled 15 October closure period is no longer current. The public index does not confirm reopening, so collection and sailing plans should be checked directly rather than inferred from the elapsed time.
- Dublin’s dredging campaign reached its approximate stated duration. Notice 49 describes approximately two weeks from 1 October, but no completion notice or real-time work stage was verified. Do not treat the planned duration as proof that work has ended.
- Belfast’s local restrictions remain relevant. Notice 24 continues D3 dredging through 5 January 2027 and permits one-way traffic when required. Notice 26’s scheduled departure period passed without a completion confirmation on the public archive.
- Marine weather changed, but not measured congestion. The 9 October review carried gale warnings for Malin and Shannon; the 16 October forecast has no formal gale heading for those areas, while North Channel inshore strong-wind warnings remain. This does not establish that port operations improved or worsened.
No numerical week-on-week congestion change is calculated because there are no comparable verified port-wide measurements for either week.
Implications for importers and collection planning
- Ask the carrier or port VTS to confirm the exact lock, berth and approach for the planned call.
- Request the current terminal cut-off and vehicle appointment after any weather or navigational notice changes.
- Confirm who bears storage, demurrage or detention if a vessel or collection window moves.
- Keep a shipment-specific contingency route; local notices do not prove a port-wide delay, but they can affect an individual call.
Primary evidence
- Peel Ports Liverpool notice index: www.peelports.com/marine/our-ports/liverpool/.
- Peel Ports Notice 69: www.peelports.com/media/2fglwcqp/lntm-2026-069-temporary-removal-of-c11.pdf.
- Peel Ports Notice 68: www.peelports.com/media/af0bhoej/lntm-2026-068-temporary-closure-of-gladstone-lock.pdf.
- Dublin Port notice index: www.dublinport.ie/information-centre/notice-to-mariners-2026/.
- Dublin Port Notice 49: www.dublinport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/49-2026-Capital-Dredge-Campaign.pdf.
- Belfast Harbour notice archive: www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/publications/?doc_cat=notice-to-mariners.
- Belfast Notice 24: www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/No.24-of-2026-%E2%80%93-D3-Dredging-Programme.pdf.
- Belfast Notice 26: www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/No.-26-of-2026-%E2%80%93-HMS-QUEEN-ELIZABETH-Departure.pdf.
- Met Office shipping forecast: weather.metoffice.gov.uk/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/shipping-forecast.
- Met Office inshore forecast: weather.metoffice.gov.uk/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/inshore-waters-forecast.
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.
Sea freight · Customs clearance · Dublin freight route · Belfast freight route
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.
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