Around 12% of Global Containership Capacity Affected by Port Congestion

Vessel supply in the market remains available, but port congestion and schedule disruptions are reducing the amount of capacity that can actually be deployed.

According to C.H. Robinson’s October Edge Report, around 12% of global containership capacity is currently affected by port congestion, the highest level seen in the past four years. The impact is particularly evident in East Asia, Northern Europe and the Indian Subcontinent, reducing the amount of effective capacity accessible to shippers even though vessel capacity remains available in the market.

C.H. Robinson notes that published capacity across the ocean shipping network does not necessarily translate into capacity that is actually available. When vessels are delayed at ports or carriers adjust schedules to restore operations, the timing and location of capacity that can be effectively used also change.

“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.”

Different Trends Across Trade Lanes in Early Q4

As the fourth quarter gets underway, the impact of congestion and schedule disruptions is becoming more evident across different trade lanes.

●    Asia–North America: Capacity is being adjusted around China’s Golden Week holiday from October 1–7, while an expected recovery in cargo volumes after the holiday could continue to put pressure on vessel space.

●    India–North America: Vessel space remains tight, while connections via Colombo continue to face disruptions.

●    Asia–Europe: Freight rates are trending lower as vessel supply improves and some services begin returning to operations via the Suez Canal.

Schedule reliability has also deteriorated as port congestion, vessel bunching, tropical storms, developments in the Middle East and restrictions at the Panama Canal all affect carrier networks.

Port Omissions and Transshipment Disruptions Increase Risks

Recent storms in Asia have prompted some carriers to implement port omissions. Meanwhile, congestion at major transshipment hubs is disrupting connections, extending cargo handling times and increasing backlogs.

Containers sitting at congested ports are also making it more difficult to reposition empty equipment to markets where it is needed.

Notably, a port omission can cause greater disruption than a pre-planned blank sailing.

With a blank sailing, shippers can generally plan alternative options before cargo is delivered to the port. By contrast, when a carrier omits a port after a voyage has already begun, containers may have to wait for a feeder vessel, be routed through another transshipment hub or be rebooked onto an alternative service.

Asia–North America Faces Further Pressure After Golden Week

Pressure is becoming more apparent on the Asia–North America trade lane, where vessel space had already become tight ahead of Golden Week as exporters accelerated shipments before the holiday.

Meanwhile, blank sailings scheduled during the October 1–7 holiday are expected to continue reducing effective capacity through around mid-October. This could increase the risk of rollovers on the first departures after the holiday as factories resume operations and export volumes recover.

Developments after the holiday will be a key factor in determining how long tight space conditions persist. If cargo volumes rebound strongly, priority sailings could remain fully booked, supporting current freight rate levels. Conversely, if demand recovers more slowly, booking conditions could improve towards the end of October.

C.H. Robinson also notes that recent storms in Asia have disrupted operations at several major Chinese ports, resulting in vessel bunching, port omissions and changes to transshipment points. These effects could carry over into sailings after the holiday, depending on how quickly carriers clear backlogs and restore vessels to their planned operating rotations.

According to C.H. Robinson, the first sailings after Golden Week will be an important indicator of the direction of the Asia–North America market. If rollovers continue through mid-October, this would suggest that blank sailings, accumulated backlogs and the recovery in demand are still constraining effective capacity. Conversely, if these sailings clear more quickly, booking conditions could ease in the second half of October even if total published capacity changes little.

Nominal Capacity Does Not Fully Reflect Effective Capacity

Current market conditions show that the market cannot be assessed solely on the basis of total fleet capacity. More important is the amount of capacity that can actually be deployed and made available to shippers at any given time.

With around 12% of global containership capacity affected by port congestion, factors such as the choice of origin and destination ports, reliance on transshipment, empty container availability and carriers’ ability to restore schedules are becoming increasingly important to transport planning.

Therefore, when planning shipments in October, shippers should assess the entire transport journey, including connection points and contingency options when schedules change, rather than relying solely on the capacity published in sailing schedules.

See more:

• International Shipping and Logistics Market Update Week 40/2026 | Phaata
• CMA CGM Completes $1.4 Billion Acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain
• Legend Cargo Logistics: Eight Years of Building Expertise and Trust on the Vietnam–North America Trade Lane
• COSCO schedules: Vietnam - North America in Oct 2026
• COSCO updates Vietnam-North Europe sailing schedules in Oct 2026
• SITC updates Vietnam-Intra Asia sailing schedules in Oct 2026
• Sea-Intelligence: Global Schedule Reliability Falls to Lowest Level Since 2022
• Hapag-Lloyd Steps Up Talks with Israel, Details Revised ZIM Proposal
• IATA Calls for Stronger Controls on Dangerous Goods Across the Air Cargo Supply Chain

Source: Phaata.com (According to gCaptain)

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