According to the latest data from Sea-Intelligence, a Danish shipping consultancy, nearly 30% of global container shipments are used for empty container repositioning. That is, for every three containers shipped, one is empty.
This proportion has seen a significant increase compared to before the pandemic. It was approximately 24% in 2019, and has now risen to around 30%, marking a new high in recent years.
Why are there more empty containers?
Sea-Intelligence pointed out that the root cause lies in the imbalance in global trade flows.
1. Asian manufacturing exporting countries (such as China and Vietnam) have a large volume of goods exports;
2. North America and Europe have long been dominated by imports;
3. After the containers arrive in Europe and America, there is a shortage of return cargo sources;
4. Shipping companies need to transport empty containers back to Asia to meet export demands.
Recently, several shipping companies have increased the Asia-Europe freight rates and imposed additional surcharges during peak seasons. Besides the preparation of goods for peak seasons and tight shipping space, the pressure of empty container allocation also supports the current freight rates.
Freight forwarders and foreign trade enterprises need to pay attention
1. Asia remains the main demander of containers;
2. The shipping company will prioritize ensuring its supply of empty containers;
3. The problem of insufficient return cargo volume in Europe and the United States is unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
During peak seasons, port congestion, or geopolitical events, some export ports may still experience container shortages, container rejections, and increased container adjustment fees.