Global container shipping schedule reliability recorded a modest improvement in September, ending a three-month decline, according to maritime analyst Sea-Intelligence. However, performance remains well below its May peak, highlighting persistent challenges across the industry.
Sea-Intelligence’s Global Liner Performance report showed that overall schedule reliability rose by 0.9 percentage points month on month to 50.6% in September, recovering slightly after three consecutive months of declines. Despite the improvement, reliability remains sharply down from 64.5% in May.
Sea-Intelligence did not explain the reasons behind September’s recovery. However, congestion at major Chinese ports, many of which had been severely disrupted by adverse weather, has begun to ease. Despite the month-on-month improvement, none of the world’s 13 largest container shipping lines recorded an increase in schedule reliability year on year.
Maersk emerged as the most reliable carrier among the top 13, achieving a schedule reliability score of 64.8%. Its Gemini Cooperation partner, Hapag-Lloyd, followed with 60.4%, while MSC and CMA CGM recorded 57.7% and 51.8%, respectively. At the other end of the rankings, Wan Hai was the least reliable of the 13 largest carriers, with schedule reliability of just 26.7%.
Among the major shipping alliances, MSC, which operates independently on the main east-west trades while maintaining partnerships on individual routes, recorded the highest schedule reliability at 68.9%. The Gemini Cooperation followed closely with 68.4%, falling significantly short of its ambitious 90% reliability target.
The Ocean Alliance recorded schedule reliability of 44.8%, while the Premier Alliance ranked lowest among the major alliances at 41.5%. September’s modest improvement offers a tentative sign of recovery for container shipping schedules. However, with overall reliability still far below its May peak and all 13 leading carriers underperforming year on year, the industry continues to face a challenging path towards more dependable services.