-
Posted by David Sexton
- |
-
21 Oct, 2026
INCREASINGLY volatile transport networks are changing how shippers define value, a new analysis from logistics company DHL reveals.
According to DHL’s Logistics of Things report, as congestion rises and schedules become less reliable, supply chain resilience is emerging as one of the biggest considerations for shippers.
Typhoons are reported to have battered major Asian sea ports, while the Panama Canal continues to face water-level constraints.
Carriers are said to be cautiously returning to the Suez Canal amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and elevated oil prices.
“Peak season has proven stronger than anticipated,” said Niki Frank, chief executive, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.
“Export demand remains resilient, and global trade flows continue to move despite geopolitical tensions, weather disruptions and elevated transportation costs.”
The latest DHL Globalization Tracker found global goods trade grew faster in the first half of 2026 than in any other half-year during the previous 15 years, excluding the exceptional post-pandemic rebound.
Meanwhile, global port congestion has climbed to about 3.8 million TEU.
Severe weather events are said to have played a key role in creating vessel backlogs and schedule disruption.
As a result, schedule reliability has fallen to its lowest level since 2022, with less than one-third of vessels arriving on time in some key gateways.
“Today, many businesses are placing greater value on supply chain resilience instead of rates because delays can create costs elsewhere in the supply chain,” said Bjoern Schoon, senior vice president, Ocean Freight, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.
The gradual return of services to the Suez Canal is said to have seen more shippers taking the shorter route to relieve some of the backlog pressure.
Nonetheless, trade is said to have continued to expand.
In air freight, a focus on reliability is said to have been reinforced by the continuous demand for high-value, time-sensitive shipments supporting AI infrastructure.
In particular, AI-driven air cargo demand from Asia to North America continues to accelerate. In August, South Korea-U.S. traffic grew 54 percent year on year, followed by India at 27%, Singapore at 22%, Japan at 20% and China at 16%.
“Every AI application sits on a global supply chain,” said Niki Frank, chief executive, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.
“While the conversation around AI often focuses on software and digital innovation, the technology ultimately depends on physical infrastructure moving across borders.”
In the current “AI boom”, servers, chips, networking equipment, advanced electronics and supporting hardware must move across borders swiftly and reliably to reach data centres, factories and businesses.
Unlike many traditional products, these shipments are often high value and time sensitive.
“Delays can have significant downstream consequences for manufacturing, technology deployment and data-center construction,” said Fabio Weiss, senior vice president, Air Freight, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. “As a result, reliability is becoming just as important as cost.”
