Imagine your much-needed Christmas gifts stuck at congested ports with no hope of timely delivery. This scenario has become a harsh reality for global shipping, with Ocean Insights data showing a 37% month-on-month surge in cargo rollover rates at transshipment ports in December.
Port Congestion: Rollover Rates Spike as Refrigerated Cargo Faces Challenges
Josh Brazil, Chief Operating Officer at Ocean Insights, revealed that 75% of the 20 major ports tracked experienced increased rollover rates in December. The situation is particularly acute for refrigerated containers, with power plug shortages at some Chinese ports exacerbating transport challenges. The Port of Long Beach recorded its busiest year ever, handling over 6% more imports compared to 2020.
Shipping Lines: Blank Sailings and Capacity Expansion
Carriers are implementing dual strategies to manage unprecedented demand. Sea-Intelligence data shows blanked sailings reaching 13% and 11% of total capacity in the third and fourth weeks of January respectively. Simultaneously, carriers are expanding capacity by 21% and 34% year-on-year through larger vessels and extra loaders.
Performance Disparities: CMA CGM and ONE Show Highest Rollover Rates
Ocean Insights identified CMA CGM and ONE as having the highest cargo rollover rates, with over half of shipments missing scheduled sailings. While blank sailings remain elevated in January, eeSea's Blank Sailings Tracker indicates lower cancellation rates expected for February and March compared to pandemic peaks.
Expert Insight: Efficiency Outpaces Capacity Constraints
"While cargo owners' frustration with tight capacity is understandable, the narrative about carriers artificially restricting capacity appears unfounded," said Simon Sundboell, CEO of eeSea. "Effective trade capacity is actually increasing. The real bottlenecks stem from port congestion and equipment shortages that reduce overall efficiency."
Navigating Challenges: The Road Ahead for Global Shipping
The industry faces a complex convergence of high demand, operational constraints, and logistical bottlenecks. Key adaptation strategies include:
- Optimizing routes and vessel scheduling through data analytics
- Increasing capacity deployment with larger vessels
- Enhancing port collaboration to improve handling efficiency
- Implementing digital tracking and predictive technologies
- Adopting dynamic pricing models
As global economic recovery remains uneven, the shipping industry must prepare for continued volatility. Whether demand persists or recedes will determine the duration of current congestion patterns, but operational improvements and stakeholder collaboration offer pathways to greater resilience.