New report: Just a third of container shipping on-time
Global container schedule reliability slipped in August as Far East–Europe disruptions drove performance toward pandemic-era lows. The post New report: Just a third of container shipping on-time appeared first on FreightWaves.
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Global container shipping schedule reliability fell for a third consecutive month in August, with just 29% of vessels arriving on time as disruption on the Far East–Europe trade pushed performance close to pandemic-era lows, according to analyst Xeneta.
The 4-percentage-point month-to-month decline from July’s 33% on-time performance was accompanied by a sharp increase in the average delay, which rose from 4. 2 days to 5. 1 days.
Xeneta said the combination of more late vessels and longer delays makes a sustained recovery harder as shippers approach fourth-quarter contracting and the peak season surrounding China’s late-September and early-October holidays. window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {var gptSlot = googletag.
defineSlot('/21776187881/FW-Responsive-Main_Content-Slot1', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'). defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps. banner1). addService(googletag. pubads()); googletag. pubads(). enableSingleRequest(); googletag. pubads(). collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag. enableServices(); setInterval(function() {if (!
document. hidden) {googletag. pubads(). refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 30000); }); googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); Far East–Europe at 6% on time The Far East–Europe trade was the most severely affected major lane in August. On-time performance fell 10 percentage points to 6%, while average delay reached 8.
2 days, reliability levels Xeneta said had not been seen since the height of the Covid-19 supply-chain disruption in late 2021.
The lane continues to contend with the operational effects of the Red Sea crisis, including longer diverted routings around Africa even as major carriers return to the Suez Canal route, as well as North European port congestion, bigger ships requiring longer berth stays and weather-related disruptions.
Four consecutive typhoons in China compounded those pressures, leaving 1. 1 million TEUs of cargo held at anchorage across Ningbo, Shanghai and Yantian in the week after Typhoon Saudel passed, Xeneta said.
Those backlogs are likely to ripple into downstream ports in Europe and North America in the coming weeks as delayed Asia departures translate into late arrivals and disrupted vessel rotations. South America and Africa also weaken window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {var gptSlot = googletag.
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display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); Schedule reliability deteriorated sharply on several other trades in August: TradeAugust on-time performanceMonthly changeAfrica21%Down 15 percentage pointsSouth America East Coast34%Down 12 percentage pointsFar East–Europe6%Down 10 percentage points South America East Coast average delays doubled to 5. 4 days.
Xeneta attributed part of the deterioration to a three-day pilotage strike at Argentinean ports early in August, which increased berth-arrival delays at ports including Buenos Aires and led some carriers to divert cargo through Montevideo and Itajai.
The disruption coincided with the end of Argentina’s key export season and the approach of Brazil’s peak export period. window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {var gptSlot = googletag.
defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot4', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'). defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps. banner1). addService(googletag. pubads()); googletag. pubads(). enableSingleRequest(); googletag. pubads(). collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag. enableServices(); setInterval(function() {if (!
document. hidden) {googletag. pubads(). refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 30000); }); googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'); }); Despite the decline, South America East Coast remained among Xeneta’s three most reliable trade lanes, behind South America West Coast, which recorded 37% on-time performance.
Carrier performance gap narrows as leaders fall Ten of the 12 largest carriers suffered lower reliability in August, with Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, PIL, HMM, Wan Hai and Yang Ming reaching 12-month lows, Xeneta said.
The gap between the highest- and lowest-performing carriers narrowed from 48 percentage points in July to 45 percentage points in August, but primarily because higher-performing carriers lost ground. Maersk remained the top performer at 51% on time, despite a 6-percentage-point decline.
Its Gemini Cooperation partner Hapag-Lloyd fell 7 percentage points to 46%
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This briefing is based on reporting from Freightwaves. Use the original post for full primary-source context.
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