The large number of blanked sailings has left containers piling up in China. European and US shippers are struggling to find equipment and having to pay more for using it

Shippers and cargo owners in the US and Europe are facing a shortage of empty containers as a result of carriers’ blanking sailings on the back of lower volumes emanating from China.

Container repositioning service provider Containers xChange said that based on carrier statements and its own Container Availability Index (CAx), the trend was expected to continue and worsen for shippers.

The CAx, which forecasts supply and demand in containers for a number of large port locations, shows that compared to 2019, containers are piling up in China, increasing by almost 50% on the comparable week last year.

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