[241220.EN.BIZ] Container Shortage Shows China's Export Dominance in Covid Crisis

 

DATA from container tracking service provider Container xChange indicates ports in Shanghai for the week ending October 22 faced a shortage of FEUs not seen since January 2019, reported Beijing financial newsite Caixin.

The service provider's weekly Container Availability Index for the Shanghai region fell to 0.05 for the week. A number above 0.5 indicates a surplus while a number below 0.5 suggests a deficit.

The availability of containers in Shanghai peaked in February amid the outbreak of Covid in China, but supply has tightened since March after the country gradually recovered from Covid lockdowns. A similar pattern has also played out in other seaports, including Ningbo and Dalian.

Distribution problems have even induced shippers to use reefer containers or even transporting empty containers to where they are most needed, a Maersk man said.

Source : HKSG / Photo : Norman Global Logistics.