Sea-Intelligence flags empty container rate

Sea-Intelligence’s latest container-shipping analysis, reported by Splash247 on June 1, put a hard number on a problem freight buyers have felt for years: too many boxes are moving with no cargo inside. The consultancy said about one in three containers shipped today is empty, compared with roughly one in four before the pandemic. Measured in teu-miles, Splash247 reported, 30% of all global container-shipping work now goes to repositioning empty equipment, up from 24% before COVID-19. The figures point to a logistics system that is carrying more imbalance even as overall trade volumes have grown. ### How can one in three containers be empty if trade is still moving? Sea-Intelligence measured the issue in teu-miles, not just box counts. That matters because carriers are not only moving containers between ports with cargo; they are also sending empties back to the places where exporters need them next. Splash247 said the number of empty containers shipped has risen 65% since the first quarter of 2019, while the number of full containers has risen 17% over the same period. (splash247.com) Total demand in teu-miles has grown 40%. Trade imbalances are the driver cited across the coverage. When imports pile up in one region and exports are concentrated in another, carriers must reposition equipment across long distances to keep networks running. That means more vessel space, handling moves and inland transfers are devoted to boxes that are not earning freight on that leg. (splash247.com) ### Why does this show up as a cost issue for shippers? Empty repositioning uses the same ships, terminals, depots and truck links as loaded cargo. Sea-Intelligence’s data, as reported by Splash247, shows a larger share of network capacity is now tied up in those non-revenue moves than before the pandemic. For carriers, that raises the operating burden of balancing equipment across trade lanes. For cargo owners, the effect can appear in freight rates, equipment surcharges, tighter booking conditions or longer waits for the right box in the right place. (splash247.com) The impact is often indirect. A buyer importing metal carts, storage racks or fabricated assemblies may not see a line item labeled “empty container cost.” Instead, the pressure can surface as weaker equipment availability, shorter quote-validity windows or extra charges tied to container pickup, return and detention. That inference is consistent with Sea-Intelligence’s finding that a rising share of shipping work is going to repositioning empties. (splash247.com) ### What changed after the pandemic? Pre-pandemic, Splash247 said, about 24% of global container-shipping work in teu-miles involved empty repositioning. The latest figure is 30%. Sea-Intelligence also reported that the growth in empty movements has been much faster than the growth in loaded movements since early 2019. (splash247.com) Earlier Sea-Intelligence analysis had already shown the same direction of travel. Separate coverage of the consultancy’s data in late 2025 said that for every 10 miles a full container traveled, an empty container needed to move 4.1 miles, up from 3.1 miles in 2019. The latest June 2026 figures suggest the imbalance has persisted rather than normalized. (splash247.com) ### Why does equipment imbalance matter to importers and exporters? Exporters need boxes where production is happening, and importers need predictable return flows once cargo is unloaded. When empties accumulate in the wrong markets, both sides face friction. Exporters can struggle to secure equipment on schedule, while importers can face tighter return rules as carriers try to pull containers back into deficit regions. (phaata.com) The June 1 Splash247 report did not present the shift as a short-term anomaly. It described a structural change in container logistics, with a larger share of global shipping effort now dedicated to repositioning equipment. Sea-Intelligence’s weekly market analysis is the place where the consultancy continues to track those network imbalances. (splash247.com) (thelogisticnews.com)