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According to a CBS News report, federal investigators are probing whether Chinese container manufacturing giants deliberately reduced global production of shipping containers just before the COVID-19 pandemic, which could reignite concerns about China's dominance in critical maritime supply chains.
Sources familiar with the investigation told CBS News that U.S. authorities are examining whether several Chinese companies, which collectively control most of the world's production of dry cargo shipping containers, conspired in late 2019 to restrict production by reducing employee working hours and slowing factory operations.
Investigators reportedly believe that the production slowdown may have artificially reduced global supply and contributed to container prices rising dramatically as the pandemic-era supply chain crisis unfolded.
According to CBS, the Department of Justice is expected to make public the allegations related to the investigation. Several Chinese executives have reportedly been charged, while another was arrested in France awaiting extradition to the United States.
These allegations highlight a vulnerability in the maritime supply chain that became painfully evident during the pandemic, when container shortages contributed to historic port congestion, skyrocketing freight prices, and massive disruptions to global trade.
China dominates the global container manufacturing industry, with over 90% of the world's supply. During the pandemic shipping boom, container prices more than doubled as shipping lines and carriers competed to acquire equipment. Bloomberg reported in 2021 that manufacturers were caught off guard by a sudden rebound in demand, having anticipated a collapse in global trade during the early months of COVID-19.
The investigation also comes amid growing scrutiny in Washington over China's broader control of maritime infrastructure.
In January 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative concluded that China's maritime and shipbuilding practices were "unreasonable" under Section 301 of the Trade Act, citing Beijing's state dominance in shipbuilding, logistics, port equipment, intermodal chassis, and shipping containers.
Subsequently, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) warned that China controls approximately 95% of global shipping container production and stated that this dominance poses risks to U.S. economic and national security.
The timing of the investigation is significant. According to CBS, the Trump administration attempted to prevent the case from becoming public until after President Trump's recent summit in Beijing.
This case could further fuel bipartisan calls in Washington to rebuild domestic maritime manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled shipping infrastructure as geopolitical competition intensifies.
