Global Port Congestion Worsens: Waiting Times Double Since 2019

Global port congestion is accelerating at a concerning pace, with vessel waiting times nearly doubling since 2019 and berth availability becoming increasingly constrained. Drewry's analysis reveals that while container volumes have grown 28% across major ports since 2019, terminal capacity has expanded only 21%, creating a structural mismatch that cannot be attributed to weather events alone. Industry leaders like Maersk are flagging insufficient capacity in Europe, South America, West Africa, and the Middle East as a critical bottleneck.

The core problem extends beyond simple underinvestment. Terminal operators prioritizing asset utilization and cost efficiency have reduced spare capacity to absorb disruptions. A terminal operating at 90% berth utilization now requires roughly a week to recover from a single day of disruption, compared to two days for facilities at 75% utilization.

This structural vulnerability exposes the container shipping system's focus on optimization over resilience and amplifies risk across global supply chains. Supply chain teams must reassess port dependencies and build flexibility into sourcing and routing strategies. The industry will need collaborative solutions involving carriers, terminal operators, and port authorities to rebalance utilization targets with capacity buffers that can withstand inevitable disruptions.