All Ports
CargoPilot®
Get Started
Dalian
China
CNDLC
AIS limited in region
10 Apr 2026
Updated 30d ago

Port Intelligence — What freight teams need to know

Dalian showed 3.83-day average waits in Feb 2026 — significantly worse than most Chinese ports post-CNY. This is a northeast China gateway that faces both ice risk (like Tianjin) and periodic congestion spikes. Serves as key port for grain/soybean imports and seafood.

Weekly Operational Update
No Data

Week of 10 April 2026

Customs Reality at Dalian
7d
Published free time
4d
Effective free time

Same GACC regime.

Demurrage: $20/TEU/day · Detention: $14/TEU/day

Common Rejection Reasons

  • Same GACC-wide issues. Dalian handles significant grain — SPS inspections thorough.

Known Holds

All imported food
GACC Decree 280 transition
Verify CIFER registration.
Cold Chain Reality at Dalian
Mitigation:Plan genset for 5+ days in winter. Consider Qingdao as alternative.
Failure point:At anchor — long waits plus winter ice
Significance:Moderate-High — major seafood and grain port for NE China
Primary failure mode:3.83-day waits deplete genset. Ice conditions Dec-Mar compound risk.
Reefer plug availability:Adequate
Alternative Ports to Dalian

If disruption makes Dalian unviable for your cargo

QingdaoCNTAO
+$100/TEU
380 nm away24h less wait
Works for: When Dalian congestion spikes. More services.
Not for: Liaoning/Jilin cargo.
CargoPilot®

Cargo Intelligence Platform

Know exactly what's happening to your cargo — before it becomes a problem.

CargoPilot applies deep AI analysis to every shipment moving through Dalian — surfacing risks, customs traps, and delay patterns your freight team would otherwise miss.

  • AI-powered risk analysis on every shipment
  • Port disruption alerts delivered before they hit
  • Customs, demurrage & detention intelligence

First 3 shipments free. No credit card required.

Live AIS Vessels

AIS coverage limited at this port. The free AIS tier has restricted coverage in some regions, particularly mainland China ports and parts of the Middle East.

Money Traps at Dalian
Unexpectedly high wait times for a mid-tier port
3.83-day avg in Feb 2026 — worse than Shanghai.
Monitor Dalian specifically, don't assume lower-tier = lower congestion.
Seasonal Patterns
Dec-Mar (Ice)
Bohai Bay ice. Icebreaker may be needed.
Verify cold-weather genset readiness. Consider Qingdao.
Oct (Golden Week)
National shutdown.
Avoid perishable arrivals.

Sources

Port intelligence: CargoPilot curated research

Privacy Policy