Mounting container shortages creating havoc

A surprisingly strong market, plus lower vessel capacity due to the Red Sea crisis, is creating a shortage of both ships and containers. Empty containers out of China, especially northern China  for exports to Europe are becoming increasingly hard to get hold of.

The disruptions in vessel's schedules due to the significantly longer transit times via the Cape of Good Hope, port omissions and port congestion are playing total havoc with equipment planning.

Carriers continue to be increasingly selective about bookings. This implies that higher freight rates are prioritised during loading. In addition, carriers have announced further blank sailings for June, leading to a further capacity reduction of 15-20%, exacerbating week-to-week capacity fluctuations.

We strongly recommend to book space well in advance to ensure timely transport.