Congestion at Asian Ports Delays Shipments and Disrupts Supply Chains
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Several strategic ports in Asia, including Shanghai, are experiencing significant congestion that is delaying the arrival and departure of container ships. The phenomenon is creating a domino effect on port schedules worldwide and adding uncertainty for importers and exporters who rely on shipment punctuality to plan their operations.
Schedule Reliability Plummets
According to an analysis by Drewry, the proportion of vessels arriving on schedule on Asia-Europe services fell from 51% in May to 31% in September 2026, and when canceled sailings are also factored in, only 29% of scheduled departures were completed on time. Performance varied among carriers, with reliability ranging between 19% and 38% and cancellations of between 0% and 23% of sailings depending on the shipping line. Shanghai was one of the hardest-hit locations: berthing wait times rose from 1.6 to 3.9 days, and on-time performance at that port dropped from 55% to just 10%.
Partial Improvement Toward Late September
Data from Xeneta cited in the same analysis show that the average time between arrival and berthing in Shanghai fell from 137 hours in mid-August to 69 hours on September 28, while the number of vessels waiting dropped from 129 to 47. Despite this improvement, an increase in cancellations on the Asia-North Europe route is expected for October, amid high scheduled capacity and a 3% rise in Drewry's World Container Index, which reached US$4,485 per 40-foot container, driven by Asia-Europe freight rates.
Maersk Reports Progress in Recovery
The shipping line Maersk reported in a network update on East Asia that recovery efforts continue to progress, although strong export demand from Asia keeps putting pressure on congested ports. The company noted that operating conditions at East China ports have improved and that vessel waiting times have continued to decrease, although it warned that customers may experience intermittent delays as the regional network continues to normalize.
Factors Behind the Congestion
The congestion stems from multiple causes, including increased cargo volumes moving through Asia, limitations in port infrastructure, challenges arising from health and security protocols, and the impact of weather events and fluctuations in global demand. Against this backdrop, carriers are reorganizing services and adjusting schedules, and technological improvements in port management are being promoted, although it is noted that a full recovery could take several months and that the delays are also affecting imports and exports from Latin America that transit through these routes.
