A new wave of "shortage of containers" is coming

With the ongoing impact of the Red Sea crisis, Asian supply chains are facing increasingly severe challenges. The latest developments reveal that Asia may face a shortage of containers, which undoubtedly adds fuel to the already complex situation. In fact, this situation has already occurred in China, where carriers restrict the distribution of empty containers to VIP customers or restrict spot booking.

Currently, the Red Sea crisis seems to be difficult to effectively resolve in the short term, and the situation where ships have to detour around the Cape of Good Hope may become the norm. According to industry analysis firm Sea Intelligence, this has led to a reduction in the effective capacity of the shipping industry by 1.45 to 1.7 million TEUs, accounting for approximately 5.1% to 6% of the global total capacity.

This phenomenon has had a significant impact on the supply chain, with extended shipping schedules, frequent delays in ships, and limited circulation of empty containers becoming prominent issues. Of particular note, as the peak shipment period before the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches, the demand for empty containers in the Asian market will further increase.
This series of chain reactions poses significant challenges to the supply chain in Asia, and all stakeholders need to closely monitor market dynamics and take measures to mitigate potential impacts.
It is reported that in order to cope with the impact of the Red Sea crisis, some shipping companies have decided to try to transfer more containers from Europe and the United States back to Asia in the following voyages.