Empty Container Glut Strains Global Ports and Shipping Lines

Global container trade is performing unexpectedly well in 2026, yet this strength masks a critical inefficiency: surging empty container repositioning driven by widening East-West trade imbalances. According to ING economists and Maersk executives, the volume of empty containers on backhaul routes, which generate zero revenue for shipping lines, is accelerating faster than loaded cargo growth, creating cascading operational pressures across port terminals and supply chain infrastructure. The core issue stems from structural trade flows: China's robust export performance in electrification-related goods (data center equipment, electric vehicles, and components) far exceeds inbound demand on return legs. This forces shipping lines to position empty containers across the Pacific and back to Asia to meet export capacity demands.

The Port of Rotterdam exemplifies this pressure, with empty container volumes up 60% in the first half of 2026 compared to 2020. Maersk reports that while overall market cargo growth stands at 4%, terminal throughput burden is climbing 7-8% annually due to the multiplier effect of empty repositioning. For supply chain professionals, this dynamic signals rising landed costs, port congestion delays, and reduced schedule reliability, particularly on backhaul routes. Companies reliant on Asian sourcing may face longer dwell times and equipment availability challenges.

Terminal operators are increasingly constrained by space and handling capacity, even as utilization metrics appear healthy on paper. Strategic sourcing diversification and demand-side mitigation (e.g., consolidation, modal shifts) will be critical to navigate this structural headwind.