Sea Freight
October brings several changes to sea freight routings and capacity.
On Asia-Europe routes, some services are once again operating via the Suez Canal, resulting in changes to transit times and schedules on selected routes. At the same time, the geopolitical situation in the Middle East remains a major source of uncertainty.
European seaports also continue to face operational pressure. High terminal utilization, irregular port calls and short-notice schedule changes can make planning more challenging. Seasonal restrictions on European waterways add another factor: low water levels can particularly affect inland waterway transport to and from seaports, potentially resulting in longer transit times or the need for alternative transport solutions.
Following China's Golden Week, export activity is expected to increase. The extent to which this will affect capacity availability and freight rates will largely depend on demand levels and the way shipping lines manage their capacity.
For shippers, this means that routings as well as pre- and on-carriage should be coordinated as early as possible in order to remain flexible and able to respond to short-notice changes.
Air Freight
As the fourth quarter begins, activity in the air freight market continues to increase.
Demand from Asia, as well as from the technology, industrial and data center sectors, is keeping available capacity well utilized.
On key Asia-Europe routes, rising volumes are meeting only limited capacity growth. Following China's Golden Week, additional export volumes are therefore expected. This may make short-notice bookings on certain routes more difficult and more expensive.
At the same time, e-commerce trade flows are changing. The EU import regulation changes that have been in effect since July are having a particular impact on China-Europe business and are leading to adjustments in volumes and transport structures.
For time-critical shipments, it is therefore recommended to secure the required air freight capacity as early as possible. Especially as the fourth quarter progresses, availability and rates may fluctuate more significantly at short notice.
Road Freight (Germany & Europe)
European road freight continues to face high costs combined with overall subdued demand.
Diesel price developments remain an important factor in transport calculations and continue to cause fluctuations in freight rates.
At the same time, driver shortages, rising personnel and operating costs, as well as toll charges, continue to affect available capacity. While sufficient freight capacity is available on many routes, certain connections and short-notice requests can still be considerably more challenging.
Additional uncertainty comes from volatile energy prices and geopolitical developments. Particularly in international road transport, costs an surcharges can therefore change at short notice.
Flexible transport planning is becoming increasingly important. Checking alternative routes, departure times or modes of transport at an early stage can help respond effectively to changes in capacity and costs.
Project Cargo
For international project cargo shipments, the availability of specialized equipment is becoming increasingly important.
Heavy-lift cranes, specialized vehicles, suitable vessels and handling areas are not always available at short notice, especially for larger project volumes.
At the same time, transport chains are becoming more complex. Production, port handling, pre- and on-carriage, as well as delivery to the project site, often need to be closely coordinated. Delays in one part of the chain can therefore quickly affect subsequent transport stages.
Especially for wind energy, energy and industrial projects, early reservation of equipment and handling capacity is becoming increasingly important. Larger project volumes and consolidated shipments can also create additional requirements for ports and infrastructure.
Reliable project planning therefore starts well before the actual transport booking. Coordinating equipment, transport windows and handling options at an early stage provides the flexibility needed to respond reliably to changes during the course of a project.
Get in touch
Do you have questions about the latest market devlopments or what they could mean for your shipments? Our Market Pulse Experts are here to help.
Our Experts:
Head of Export Department
Mathis Hoffmann:
European Land Transport Manager
Marcos Inacio:
Head of Sales Germany
Steven von der Wege:
Head of Import Department
Alexander Tuleweit:
Alexander Global Logistics
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