February slump raises red flag for container demand
- Global container volumes in February fell significantly more than expected, with a 13.6% drop from January
- Container volumes up just over 2% in the first two months of 2025, marking a slowdown from 2024’s 6% growth
- US shippers may look to accelerate imports before July 9 deadline to dodge potential tariff hikes, increasing the likelihood of an early peak season
- Trade war escalation could prompt global supply-demand balance to shift towards overcapacity
Global container demand saw a significant downturn in February, exceeding the usual decline expected during the Chinese New Year period. Although overall year-to-date volumes remain slightly ahead of last year, the slowdown in growth is concerning. The Asia-Europe and transpacific trades showed resilience, but much of the latter’s growth is attributed to front-loading ahead of US import tariffs