GLOBAL CONTAINER SHIPPING MARKET NEWS – WEEK 10, 2026
GET THE LATEST UPDATES AND KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE GLOBAL CONTAINER SHIPPING MARKET – WEEK 10, 2026
Key Highlights:
1. Strait of Hormuz Crisis
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Near-total closure: Over 140 vessels are stranded, affecting 1.9% of the global container fleet.
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Impact: Carriers have suspended bookings, leading to severe congestion in the Arabian Sea, India, and Southeast Asia.
2. Freight Rates & Shipping Fluctuations
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Surging rates: The SCFI reached 1,489 (+11.7% WoW). Bunker prices have surpassed $800/ton.
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Rerouting: Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd are forced to divert via the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Red Sea/Suez Canal, significantly extending transit times (e.g., Shanghai to Jeddah increased to 49 days).
3. Fleet & Port Status
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Congestion: Approximately 2.83 million TEU are currently stuck at ports (representing 8.4% of the global fleet).
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Low idle fleet: Only 50 vessels (0.4%) remain idle, indicating that capacity is being fully utilized to compensate for longer routes.
4. Shipping Line News
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CMA CGM: Q4/2025 shipping profit reached $617 million; net debt dropped sharply from $5 billion to $2 billion.
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New Services: Maersk and CMA CGM are splitting/launching new routes to West Africa and the Mediterranean to adapt to the current disruptions.
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Hapag-Lloyd & Maersk: Launched a new Asia – Mediterranean – Red Sea service
