It is a mad circus right now. Planners are using a vessel size of 10,000 TEUs with 22 containers across in considering the design of additional facilities at ports, with the width being the most significant number, Nyle said. But he added that 14,000 TEU vessels are on the horizon. He cited Maersk Sealand's surprise decision to shift much of its Southeast Asian hub activity from Singapore to Malaysia. Vickerman said they should work to improve their efficiency by expanding their use of information technology and maximising productivity at their terminals.
Containers now spend an average of six to eight days in U.S. ports.
Reducing that dwell time can enable ports to increase capacity without adding space.