This year, global supply chains were once again confronted with serious delays. In addition to rising freight rates and longer transit times, this also led to the general congestion of ports. As consequence, there is still a shortage of containers.
Causes of container shortage
Due to disruptions in the shipping schedule, empty containers are not returned in time. There was also an increase in blank sailing leading to delayed container handling. As a result, containers are stacked at ports, which further slows down logistics processes.
Outlook in 2022
Improvements in the current situation are not expected to occur until early next year. The Chinese New Year will lead to a temporary reduction in Chinese logistics activities, which will have a positive impact on the global logistics situation. Around 60,000 to 70,000 new containers are also expected to go into operation globally in mid-2022. In the long term, some new ship orders can also be awaited to improve the shipping availability on the market.
