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Asia-North Europe shipping capacity faces growing volatility

Asia-North Europe shipping capacity faces growing volatility

Posted on September 9, 2024 |

Capacity on the Asia-North Europe trade route has become more unpredictable, with major fluctuations over the past decade.

These changes are especially noticeable during times like Chinese New Year and Golden Week, making it hard to see consistent trends.

Before the pandemic, capacity changes on this route were around 10%, but now they have tripled, reducing shippers' confidence in stable capacity.

The Transpacific trade routes are more stable by comparison, with the Asia-North America West Coast showing more consistent weekly capacity.

Between September 2023 and August 2024, capacity on the Asia-North Europe route shifted by over 90,000 TEU each week.

The Transpacific trades saw a smaller weekly variation of around 50,000 TEU, while Asia-Mediterranean had a deviation of 34,000 TEU.

Overall, the Asia-North Europe route has become less predictable, making it harder for shippers to plan.