Congestion ties up 12% of container fleet as trans-Pac peak extends

· Shipping · United States · China

Roughly 12% of global container ship capacity is tied up in port congestion, and Asia delays have removed significant functional capacity from the trans-Pacific trade. Lines now expect the early peak season to run longer, with Far East-US spot rates rising to a post-Hormuz peak.

Why it matters：Port congestion tying up container capacity supports freight rates but strains logistics networks during an extended peak season.

Key points

  • Executives at three major container lines say Asia congestion removed significant functional capacity from the trans-Pacific trade in September.
  • Spot rates from the Far East to the US ticked up again on 1 October.
  • The problem is not a shortage of ships but a growing share of them caught in congestion.

Sources (original reporting)

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