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Posted by Amanda Bradfield
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04 Sep, 2026
YOU know it’s been an interesting week in shipping when the headlines are making me more nervous than an email from the kids’ school about chickenpox cases.
In a market where not normal is the new normal, we’re all trying to keep our heads above water as on-time reliability falls to its lowest level in five years. Sending out delay notices upon delay notices is now very common, and the market continues to test just how much buffer we can put on arrival times.
Globally, the Drewry World Container Index remained steady this week, but the story is different across the trade lanes. Transpacific rates continued to climb, while Asia-Europe rates eased. With carriers continuing to manage capacity and blank sailings increasing, rates are expected to remain relatively stable in the week ahead.
And things aren’t looking much better across Asia. All 14 of Asia’s busiest container ports saw on time reliability fall in July, with Shanghai dropping to just 21%, its lowest level in 14 years of recorded data. Ningbo wasn’t far behind at 34.6%.
With more than half of vessels arriving late at the region’s busiest ports, these delays are likely to keep cascading through the global shipping network.
Just to add another layer to the disruption, industrial strike action is affecting ports in Germany and Rotterdam. Germany is experiencing a 48-hour strike across all ports, while Rotterdam is facing industrial action today, September 4, affecting terminals between 11am and 7pm. The strikes are expected to impact vessel operations, terminal handling and inland cargo movements, adding further pressures to ports.
So, what else is happening out there?
💠OOCL and COSCO see profits fall despite higher revenues
💠Port of Auckland and Port of Tauranga deliver strong FY2026 results
💠Strait of Hormuz back in the firing line as US-Iran strikes resume
💠IMO condemns attacks on merchant ships in Black Sea and Sea of Azov
💠APM Terminals breaks ground on major new Bangladesh container terminal
💠Singapore and Brazil launch green and digital shipping corridor
💠El Niño strengthens, raising fresh concerns for Panama Canal
💠Menzies Aviation completes US$305M G2 integration
💠“Pink Corridor” explores nuclear-powered container shipping across the Atlantic
Today’s photo shows the MSC Kuwait III being brought into Fremantle’s Inner Harbour... sometimes you’re just in the right place at the right time! This vessel is 208m LOA and 30m wide, she’s another geared ship operating on MSC’s Koala service. At 25 years old this vessel has had a few names in the past, including Calais Trader and Sea Tiger.
Hope everyone has a great weekend ahead!
