Empty container movements rise

Trade imbalances are pushing empty container movements to record levels, according to analysis from Danish consultancy Sea-Intelligence.

The company says one in every three containers is now shipped without cargo, compared with one in four before the pandemic. Measured in TEU-miles, empty repositioning now accounts for 30% of all global container shipping activity, up from 24% before the pandemic.

Since the first quarter of 2019, the volume of empty containers shipped has increased by 65%, while full container movements have grown by only 17%. Overall demand, measured in TEU-miles, has risen by 40%.

Sea-Intelligence says carriers are now moving twice the volume of empty containers, by distance, than before the pandemic. The consultancy links this directly to widening trade imbalances, where uneven cargo flows force lines to reposition equipment.

It warned that the additional cost is likely to be reflected in higher freight rates for head-haul shippers.