After a time of record highs, there are signs that the demand for containers is falling. In the ports of China and the U.S. we now see empty containers becoming the norm.

During the pandemic the demand for containers was enormous. Now the demand is looking “bleak,” according to Christian Roeloffs, CEO of Container xChange. “The falling rates and increased availability of containers in certain regions of the world are indicative of weak demand and slower economic growth.”

Roeloffs predictions are in line with what Maersk is warning. According to Maersk the global box volumes could drop 2.5% this year, with Clarksons Research suggesting the figure could be even worse at -3.1%.

Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund said this month: “Global demand has fallen away, congestion has eased, equipment is available, and the macro-economic and geopolitical situations are, to say the least, complex.”

We see drops in especially China, but also in the US. The 10 largest American box ports saw the largest monthly inbound drop in volumes since the global financial crisis of 2008, down by 17.9%