Global Shipping Faces Congestion, Port Disruptions, and Supply Chain Strain

Global supply chains continue to be disrupted by congestion at Asian ports, with approximately 8.5% of the global container fleet unavailable. Shipping giant Maersk has responded by ordering 26 large container ships for delivery in 2029-2030, though this will not address immediate capacity constraints. Meanwhile, a potential strike by port watchmen at the major US ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, set for November 1, threatened significant disruptions to cargo movement and US supply chains. Freight forwarders note that despite ocean disruptions, a large-scale shift to airfreight is not occurring due to prohibitive costs.