According to a report by DHL Global Forwarding, high export demand from Asia and adverse weather conditions at ports in China have increased congestion in the container shipping market. The company states that the peak season on the Asia-America route is not yet over, and port congestion has reached a new high.
Sea-news.az reports citing Seanews.az, that approximately 3.9 million TEUs of containers are currently waiting at ports.
Typhoons that occurred in China during July and August caused several major ports to suspend operations for multiple days. In July, only 21 percent of vessels entering Shanghai arrived on schedule.
According to the report, the return of carriers to the Suez Canal has also gradually begun. Currently, the reuse of the Suez route is planned for 18 percent of main East-West voyages. However, it is reported that the full normalization of routes could take 6 to 12 months.
DHL Global Forwarding notes that the increase in the number of new container ships may not lead to a significant decrease in freight rates in the near term. It is emphasized that this is influenced by port congestion, varying demand across trade routes, weather conditions, and geopolitical risks.
