Liner sector defies disruption as box numbers surge to quarterly highs
- Global container volumes rose 4.7% in the first nine months of 2025 against last year
- Q3 traffic hit a record 49.2m teu, up 1.5% on Q2, with August now the busiest month on record
- China’s export pivot continues to fuel volume gains across global south
- CTS freight index falls to lowest level since 2023 as carriers brace for end-of-year demand slowdown
Global container volumes reached record highs in Q325, despite geopolitical disruption and uneven regional demand. While North American imports continue to falter, robust growth across Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and South America buoyed overall performance. Chinese exports to emerging markets surged, helping offset transpacific declines as the ongoing trade war pegged back US trade