A new analysis from Danish consultancy Sea-Intelligence has revealed the rising share of empty containers being repositioned across the globe, underscoring growing inefficiencies in the container shipping market.
According to the study, which measures the ratio of empties to full containers based on teu-miles, 41% of global container transport now consists of empty boxes. “The present situation is that for every 10 miles a full container is shipped, there is now a need to ship an empty container 4.1 miles – sharply up from ‘just’ 3.1 miles in 2019, before the pandemic market disruptions,” Sea-Intelligence stated in its latest weekly report.
The consultancy highlighted a consistent upward trajectory over the past five years, with only a minor dip in 2022, before the trend resumed its climb.
Industry players say the growing imbalance stems from structural trade flows. Karachi-based freight forwarder Acumen Freight Solutions, in a recent commentary, noted that global trade rarely moves symmetrically between countries.
“Some regions export far more than they import, while others are primarily import-driven. This creates container imbalances where one port is overflowing with empties while another struggles with shortages,” Acumen observed. The forwarder pointed out that ports in Asia frequently face shortages amid strong export demand, while ports in North America and Europe are often left with surpluses as import volumes outweigh exports.
Analysts suggest that unless global trade patterns rebalance or repositioning efficiency improves, the share of empties in global container transport could rise further, adding pressure on carriers and ports alike.