Shipping remains under pressure as carriers continue to contend with congestion at European and UK ports. While demand has stabilised for now, a surge in volumes is expected in December ahead of Chinese New Year. Plus, Maersk has announced that from February 2025, its larger vessels will no longer call at the Port of Felixstowe.
Current Shipping Market Update
Shipping operations remain under pressure, with carriers managing congestion issues at European and UK ports by delaying vessel arrivals and diverting ships to alternative ports. Demand has remained stable this week, steadying freight rates – a brief calm ahead of an expected surge in December ahead of Chinese New Year.
UK Port Diversions: To mitigate the worst of the congestion at the Port of Felixstowe, vessels are still being diverted to London Gateway and Southampton. Efforts to optimise port operations and minimise disruption are ongoing, but delays remain an industry-wide challenge.
Container Equipment Shortages: Delays in vessel returns to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope continue to affect the availability of empty containers at Chinese ports. This is particularly evident for 40-ft HC containers at key ports like Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, and Yantian. Equipment shortages are expected to persist, but we’re actively collecting goods from alternative ports where possible to ensure your cargo keeps moving.
Looking Ahead: Demand and rates have stabilised this week, providing a momentary calm. However, volumes are expected to surge in December as retailers increase their orders to ensure goods are shipped ahead of the Chinese New Year shutdown. Coupled with ongoing blank sailings, this will likely intensify the supply-demand imbalance on Asia-Europe routes.
With these ongoing supply chain challenges impacting transit times and port schedules, shipment arrival times remain uncertain.
2025 Route Adjustments for Maersk’s UK Services
Maersk has announced that starting from February 2025, as part of the Gemini Co-operation with Hapag-Lloyd, it will no longer call at the Port of Felixstowe. The decision follows a review of its Asia-Europe shipping routes conducted within the framework of this partnership, which led Maersk to determine that London Gateway is the most optimal port for importing and exporting cargo to and from the UK. We would like to reassure customers that, at this stage, we do not foresee any negative impact from this shift in operations. As more information becomes available, we will provide updates to keep you informed.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your shipment, please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Service Team at 01376 533039 or email [email protected]
