Container shipping delays have reached new highs in 2024, continuing a troubling trend of schedule unreliability. According to Sea-Intelligence’s latest report, which tracks performance across 34 global trade lanes, the industry remains significantly impacted by persistent disruptions, including geopolitical tensions and severe port congestion.
Schedule reliability has remained low in 2024, fluctuating between 50% and 55%. However, it dipped further in September to 51.4%, marking the lowest point in 24 months. This decline stands in sharp contrast to pre-pandemic levels, when reliability was at 80% in 2019. As of September 2024, the average delay for late vessels was 5.67 days, up from 5.17 days in 2023, reflecting a worrying increase in delays.
The surge in delays is exacerbated by ongoing port congestion, especially in Asia’s key ports such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea. Additionally, geopolitical tensions, including rerouted vessels around Africa and instability in the Red Sea, continue to disrupt shipping schedules. Industry experts warn that these issues are likely to persist well into 2025, adding further uncertainty to the global supply chain.
RSL Container Lines’ Strategy to Ensure Timely Deliveries Amid Disruptions
In response to these widespread delays, RSL Container Lines has implemented a proactive strategy to maintain reliable delivery schedules. “Our approach centers on securing guaranteed space at critical transshipment (TS) ports,” says Ronal Chandiram, Managing Director of RSL Container Lines. This strategy allows RSL to avoid congestion bottlenecks and ensure smoother transitions for shipments, even when broader supply chain disruptions occur.
By focusing on these key ports, RSL can offer customers more predictable shipping timelines, reducing the impact of delays that are currently affecting the global shipping network. This approach helps RSL stay ahead of unpredictable disruptions, offering a level of reliability that contrasts with the broader industry’s ongoing struggles.
(Source taken from: www.maritime-executive.com)
