Global container port congestion to drop in 2023 due to low cargo demand and economic growth

Posted on February 13, 2023   |  

At the end of 2022, pre-berth waiting times showed improvements despite increasing disruption due to transport sector strikes, which are expected to continue in 2023 as well.

In 2023, port waiting time and congestion are likely to return to pre-pandemic levels due to reduced cargo demand and lower economic growth.

Globally, pre-berth waiting time is above pre-pandemic levels through 2020-22; In 2019, waiting time accounted for over 17% of the total port time, but in 2021 and 2022, pre-berth waiting increased by more than 25% of the total port time.

In Q4 2022, in the North America and Oceania regions, pre-berth waiting remained above 2019 levels but in Europe, pre-berth waiting time was 16.6%, just 1.2% above the 2019 average of 15.4%.