Global container port congestion is worsening despite continued investment in terminal capacity, with longer vessel waiting times and declining schedule reliability creating growing risks for shipping lines and cargo owners, according to maritime consultancy Drewry.
Drewry said global average ship waiting times during the first seven months of 2026 were nearly double the level recorded during the same period in 2019. The average time containerships spent in port also increased by 31%, indicating that vessels are spending more time waiting for berths rather than being handled.
Weather disruptions have added to the pressure. In early August, typhoons in China pushed average berth waiting times to 3.6 days, while congestion and delays have also been reported across several major ports and regions.
Drewry does not attribute the deterioration solely to a shortage of terminal capacity. Its analysis of nine major container ports found that terminal capacity increased by an average 21% between 2019 and 2026, compared with a 28% rise in container volumes.
The consultancy said high asset utilisation, operational disruptions, landside constraints and carrier scheduling practices are contributing to congestion. Blank sailings, ad hoc sailings and extra loaders can create concentrated vessel arrival peaks, putting additional pressure on yards and berth availability.
Drewry noted that terminals operating at around 90% berth utilisation can take roughly a week to recover from a one-day disruption, compared with about two days for facilities operating at 75% utilisation.
The consultancy said terminal operators continue to invest in capacity but are unlikely to finance large amounts of spare “buffer” capacity that may generate limited returns under normal conditions. It warned that the container shipping ecosystem remains focused more on cost optimisation than supply-chain resilience, leaving ports vulnerable when demand surges or disruptions occur.