The Sea-Intelligence end-of-year report for 2024 revealed that containership schedule reliability remained consistent around 50%-55%, slightly lower than the previous year. Despite challenges like diversions and longer travel times, the industry maintained a yearly average of 53%. Maersk led with over 60% reliability, aiming to exceed 90% with new routes.
Maersk’s surprising decision to shift container ships from Felixstowe to London Gateway in 2025, in partnership with Hapag-Lloyd, aims to boost industry schedule reliability to 90%. This move will consolidate Asia-Europe and Middle East-Europe trade at the new port, impacting the longstanding 2M alliance with MSC.
In 2024, delays for containerships have reached levels not seen since the pandemic peak, with schedule reliability dropping to 51.4%. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd aim to improve to 90% with the Gemini Cooperation in 2025. Port congestion in Asia and disruptions from Red Sea rerouting are contributing factors. Vessel bunching and winter weather challenges are causing delays.
Four months into the Red Sea diversions, liner shipping has shown improvements in schedule reliability. Sea-Intelligence reports a 1.6% increase in carrier reliability in March 2024, reaching nearly 56%. Carriers have adjusted schedules and brought in new tonnage to absorb disruptions, with late-arriving vessels reducing wait times. Pre-crisis levels are not yet reached.
Schedule reliability in the shipping industry saw a decline in November 2023 due to security challenges in the Red Sea and delays at the Panama Canal. Asian-based carriers, Evergreen and Wan Hai, showed significant gains while Maersk and MSC experienced declines. Late vessel arrivals also saw an increase in average delay.
