Ports

Container Shipping Loses 2.3M TEU Capacity Amid Reliability Crisis

Schedule reliability in container shipping plummeted to 56.4% in July, marking the lowest performance since February 2025 and the weakest showing under the current alliance structure. The deterioration has effectively withdrawn 2.3 million teu of vessel capacity from the market, equivalent to the world's sixth-largest carrier. Average vessel delays extended beyond six days, matching pandemic-era disruptions. Approximately 6.6% of the global container fleet sits unavailable, compared to a pre-pandemic baseline of 2.2%. Seasonal typhoons disrupting Asian ports drove immediate pressures. Recovery timelines vary: returning to end-2025 levels may require two to three months, while normalizing to June 2025 lows could take 4.5 to six months based on pandemic precedent. Regional analysis shows Shanghai and Ningbo facing acute pressure, with Santos strained, while Northern European gateways maintained manageable wait times measured in hours or days.