Popular Taiwanese news site TechNews recently reported that U.S. manufacturing orders in China fell 40 percent. The Global Logistics Group expects Chinese factories to close two weeks earlier than usual for the Chinese New Year due to reduced demand. It’s a relentless collapse, with Asian container rates continuing to fall, leaving ocean carriers with record low vessel utilization and more empty sailings than ever before. Supply chain research company Project44 also stated that, since the end of the summer of 2022, the number of TEUs shipped from China to the United States has dropped significantly and the total container volume of ships dropped by 21 percent from August to November this year alone. The Global Shipping Company HLS forecast a further 2.5 percent decline in container volume in 2023 and a nearly 5 to6 percent increase in capacity, continuing to have a negative impact on freight rates in 2023. That is coupled with economic uncertainty and geopolitical concerns. International transportation supplier OL USA expressed the worry that overall business volume and order flows in Asia continue to be subdued as carriers have cancelled more vessels, with no apparent uptick heading into the Chinese New Year. U.S. logistics managers are bracing for early January delays in Chinese deliveries as container ships are dropping the number of sailings. In addition, ocean carriers are expecting delays.
Source: TechNews, December 15, 2022