Global Container Port Queue Hits 4.3 Million TEU, Surpassing 2022 COVID Peak

According to Linerlytica, global container capacity waiting at anchor reached 4.3 million TEU as of August 24, 2026, surpassing the previous high of 4.0 million TEU recorded at the height of the 2022 congestion crisis. The spike has been largely driven by a succession of typhoons disrupting port operations across Shanghai and Ningbo. Over the past two weeks, ocean carriers Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd were forced to adjust schedules and divert a portion of their capacity away from these two gateways. Nevertheless, today's global container fleet is substantially larger than it was in 2022. Expressed as a share of total fleet capacity, current congestion stands at 12.6%, well below the 15.7% peak seen that year.

Key Takeaways:

●    4.3 million TEU of container ship capacity was queued outside ports globally as of August 24, 2026, surpassing the 2022 peak of 4.0 million TEU, according to Linerlytica.

●    Proportional Context: As a percentage of the global fleet, current congestion represents 12.6% of the active 34.4 million TEU fleet - lower than the 15.7% peak in 2022, when global capacity stood at just 25.3 million TEU.

●    Primary Bottlenecks: Shanghai and Ningbo are the main hotspots, with 139 and 77 vessels waiting at anchor, respectively, as of August 17, 2026 - the highest levels recorded across 2025–2026, per Portcast data.

●    Carrier Diversions: Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd diverted at least 320,000 TEU of capacity away from Shanghai, 70,000 TEU from Ningbo, and 75,000 TEU from Yantian in the two weeks leading up to August 18, 2026, according to Hapag-Lloyd advisories.

●    Freight Rate Impact: Shanghai–New York spot rates touched a 2026 high of $9,507/FEU, jumping 9% in the week ending August 20, 2026, according to the Drewry World Container Index (WCI).

Shanghai and Ningbo Snarled by Three Consecutive Typhoons

Three sequential typhoons hitting eastern China during the summer of 2026 - Bavi, Noul, and Dolphin - caused port backlogs to compound rapidly between operational disruptions. In late June 2026, global queued capacity stood at 3.72 million TEU (10.9% of the global fleet), according to Linerlytica.

Following Typhoon Dolphin's landfall on August 9, over 2.4 million TEU of container vessel capacity was stranded in North Asia alone by August 11. By August 24, global congestion expanded to 4.3 million TEU.

Portcast recorded 139 vessels waiting at Shanghai and 77 at Ningbo as of August 17, 2026 - marking two-year highs. Waiting times vary significantly depending on alliance affiliations. At Yangshan, Shanghai's deepwater facility, vessels belonging to the Gemini Cooperation (Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd) faced average delays of 5–6 days, whereas non-alliance vessels waited 7–8 days, according to Hapag-Lloyd data. At Ningbo, delays were shorter, averaging 3–4 days for Gemini vessels and roughly 3 days for non-alliance loops. In Qingdao, berth waiting times averaged around 72 hours across both groups.

During Maersk’s Q2 2026 earnings call on August 13, CEO Vincent Clerc noted that Shanghai wait times had briefly touched up to 12 days - a peak figure for that period before updated operational reports from Hapag-Lloyd indicated that delays had somewhat receded depending on the terminal and alliance involved. Clerc added that widespread port congestion across major global hubs stems from years of underinvestment in hinterland landside infrastructure.

To alleviate operational pressure, carriers began diverting vessel capacity. As of August 18, 2026, at least 320,000 TEU of Gemini Cooperation capacity had been rerouted away from Shanghai over the preceding fortnight, according to Hapag-Lloyd. Diversions reached 70,000 TEU at Ningbo and 75,000 TEU at Yantian, Shenzhen. Maersk also removed the Shanghai port call on at least one North Asia–Oceania loop, shifting planned discharge cargo to Xiamen, reported Sourcing Journal.

Larger Fleet Absorbs Shock, Keeping Congestion Share Below 2022 Levels

While the 4.3 million TEU queue surpasses 2022's 4.0 million TEU peak in nominal terms, the global container fleet has expanded dramatically since then.

The global active fleet now stands at approximately 34.4 million TEU - up roughly 36% from 25.3 million TEU in 2022 - driven by a massive orderbook delivery wave following pandemic-era record carrier profits. Consequently, the 4.3 million TEU currently stalled represents 12.6% of total world fleet capacity, staying beneath the 15.7% relative peak seen in 2022, per Linerlytica.

These two metrics highlight distinct operational realities. Absolute TEU figures illustrate the sheer volume of vessel capacity locked up at anchor, whereas the fleet percentage reflects the true relative supply contraction imposed on global container shipping.

Market pressures are already spilling over into ocean freight tariffs. Drewry’s Composite WCI rose 4% in the week ending August 20, 2026, to $4,526/FEU, marking its third consecutive weekly gain. Transpacific trade lanes saw sharp upticks: Shanghai–New York rates reached $9,507/FEU while Shanghai–Los Angeles surged to $6,802/FEU - both posting 9% weekly gains to hit new 2026 highs, according to Drewry.

Intra-Asia trade lanes experienced similar upward momentum, with Drewry’s Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) rising 6% to $1,091/FEU, also registering its third straight week of increases.

This ripple effect is directly felt on regional feeder services. CMA CGM/CNC Line currently operates two direct loops connecting Ho Chi Minh City with congested Chinese gateways: the CV7 service (connecting Ningbo with a ~7-day transit time) and the CV8 service (connecting Shanghai with a ~6-day transit time). Vietnamese export/import shipments utilizing these direct services - or transshipping via Shanghai and Ningbo onto long-haul mother vessels  -face direct exposure to berth delays and schedule omissions at these hubs.

Implications for Importers and Exporters

●    Transit Delays: Cargo connecting through Shanghai or Ningbo - whether on direct regional services like CMA CGM/CNC’s CV7/CV8 or via mother-vessel transshipments - faces a high risk of disruption. Berth wait times currently range between 3 to 8 days, depending on the terminal operator and carrier alliance.

●    Surging Transpacific Spot Rates: Transpacific spot rates have reached year-to-date peaks, touching $9,507/FEU (Shanghai–New York) and $6,802/FEU (Shanghai–Los Angeles) as of August 20, 2026. Vietnamese cargo transshipping through Shanghai for North American destinations faces potential rolled bookings and extended lead times if main-line schedules slip.

●    Rising Feeder Costs: Three consecutive weeks of gains pushed the Intra-Asia freight index up to $1,091/FEU, confirming that short-sea feeder legs between Vietnam and major Chinese hubs are coming under sustained pricing pressure.

Implications for Freight Forwarders and Logistics Providers

●    Buffer Times Required: Given Yangshan wait times of 5–8 days depending on alliance routing, logistics planners should build additional lead-time buffers into transit schedules for cargo passing through Shanghai rather than relying on published pro-forma schedules.

●    Managing Omissions and Rerouting: The diversion of roughly 320,000 TEU away from Shanghai and 70,000 TEU from Ningbo by the Gemini Cooperation in mid-August indicates that forwarders booking on these services must actively manage alternative discharge ports, unexpected blank sailings, and modified rotations.

●    Macro Supply Dynamics: Although absolute queued TEU volume has broken 2022 records, the lower percentage share of the overall fleet means that while operational disruptions are severe locally, relative global capacity supply is not yet constrained to the extreme levels experienced during the pandemic peak.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

What does 4.3 million TEU of queued container capacity mean?

According to Linerlytica data as of August 24, 2026, this figure represents the total nominal container vessel capacity waiting at anchor to berth and discharge/load cargo across container ports worldwide. In absolute terms, 4.3 million TEU surpasses the previous record of 4.0 million TEU established in 2022.

Why is the congestion ratio lower now than in 2022?

The global container fleet has grown substantially, reaching roughly 34.4 million TEU compared to 25.3 million TEU in 2022. As a result, the 4.3 million TEU queue accounts for 12.6% of today's total active fleet, whereas the 4.0 million TEU backlog in 2022 represented 15.7% of global capacity.

Which ports are currently the most affected?

Shanghai and Ningbo are the primary congestion epicenters. Portcast recorded 139 vessels at anchor outside Shanghai and 77 outside Ningbo as of August 17, 2026 - the highest levels seen in two years. Yantian (Shenzhen) is also experiencing pressure, with roughly 75,000 TEU of capacity diverted away in mid-August, according to Hapag-Lloyd advisories.

Will Vietnamese cargo routing through Shanghai and Ningbo be impacted?

Yes. Carriers like CMA CGM/CNC Line operate direct services connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Ningbo and Shanghai. Furthermore, Vietnamese shipments transshipping via these ports to connect with long-haul ocean services to Europe or North America face potential delays, vessel omissions, and schedule revisions.

See more:

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• Q3/2026 Europe-Bound Environmental Surcharges: Maersk and ONE Differ by $49/FEU, While MSC Quotes by TEU
• Panama Canal Tightens Draft Limits in Three Consecutive Steps as Four Carriers Impose Surcharges Differing by Up to 3.2 Times
• COSCO schedules: Vietnam - North America in Aug 2026

Source: Phaata.com 

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Reference source: Linerlytica, Market Pulse 2026 Week 34, Sourcing Journal, Drewry World Container Index, Drewry Intra-Asia Container Index, CNBC (Reuters)