Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.globaltrademag.com
Global container shipping is facing a capacity problem that has little to do with the number of ships in the fleet.
Read also: Container Shipping Rates Edge Higher Amid Global Port Congestion
About 12% of global container vessel capacity is currently tied up by port congestion, the highest level in four years, according to C.H. Robinson’s October Edge Report.
The logistics company said congestion is particularly affecting East Asia, Northern Europe and the Indian Subcontinent, limiting the amount of vessel space actually available to shippers.
“Capacity may exist in the ocean network, but port congestion and steps the carriers are taking to get schedules back on track can change where and when that capacity is actually available,” C.H. Robinson said.
The result is a more fragmented ocean freight market as carriers enter the fourth quarter.
Asia routes face renewed pressure
Trans-Pacific services are seeing capacity adjustments around China’s October 1-7 Golden Week holiday, while services between India and North America continue to face limited space and disruptions involving connections through Colombo.
Asia-Europe services are taking a different direction, with freight prices softening as vessel supply improves.
At the same time, schedule reliability is deteriorating. Port congestion, vessel bunching, typhoons, Middle East disruptions and restrictions affecting the Panama Canal are creating additional pressure across carrier networks.
Recent typhoons in Asia have forced some carriers to skip port calls, while congestion at major transshipment hubs has resulted in missed connections and growing cargo backlogs.
The shortage of available equipment is another concern. Containers sitting in congested terminals cannot be repositioned as quickly to markets where exporters need them.
Port omissions create new risks
For shippers, there is an important difference between a planned blank sailing and a port omission during an active voyage.
A blank sailing is usually announced in advance, allowing cargo owners to adjust their plans before containers are loaded. A skipped port, however, can leave cargo stranded after a shipment is already underway.
Containers may then have to wait for another feeder service, move through a different transshipment hub or be transferred to another carrier service.
That can add both time and cost to an already disrupted supply chain.
Golden Week could tighten space further
The pressure is particularly noticeable on Asia-North America services.
Exporters accelerated shipments ahead of Golden Week, while planned blank sailings are expected to reduce effective capacity into approximately mid-October.
That could increase the risk of cargo rollovers when factories reopen and export activity resumes.
The strength of the post-holiday recovery will determine how long the pressure lasts. A strong rebound in shipments could keep preferred sailings full and support current freight rates. If volumes return more slowly, available space could improve later in October.
Available capacity matters more than fleet size
The latest figures highlight a growing issue for global shippers: total vessel capacity does not necessarily equal usable capacity.
When a significant portion of the fleet is delayed at ports or caught in disrupted schedules, effective capacity falls even when the global fleet continues to expand.
With roughly one in every eight units of global container capacity currently affected by congestion, shippers may need to look beyond freight rates when planning shipments.
Port choice, transshipment exposure, container availability and a carrier’s ability to recover disrupted schedules are becoming increasingly important factors in managing ocean freight risk.
