41 percent of Container Transport Is Running Empty

New research from Danish liner consultancy Sea-Intelligence reveals that 41 percent of global container transport (measured in TEU-miles) is now carried out by empty containers, up significantly from 31 percent in 2019 before pandemic disruptions.

The figure means that for every ten miles a full container is shipped, there is now a need to move an empty container 4.1 miles, compared to 3.1 miles in 2019. This trend seems to have steadily increased over the past five years with only a minor decline in 2022.

What’s Driving Container Imbalance

According to Sea-Intelligence, the imbalance largely stems from uneven trade flows between regions. Ports in Asia often experience container shortages due to strong export volumes, while many ports in North America and Europe accumulate surpluses of empty containers because imports exceed exports. Freight forwarder Acumen Freight Solutions, based in Karachi, told Splash247 that these discrepancies push costs and inefficiencies across the container logistics chain.

Environmental Cost of Empty Transport

The emissions burden is also striking. Container ships burn almost the same amount of fuel whether a box is full or empty, meaning empty repositioning carries nearly identical emissions to laden transport. A 10,000 TEU vessel steaming at 16 knots typically consumes about 100–120 tonnes of fuel oil per day, generating 300–380 tonnes of CO₂ daily regardless of utilization.

On a global scale, if 41 percent of TEU-miles are empty, this equates to 80–100 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, based on IMO’s 2023 greenhouse gas study and current container trade volumes. That makes empty container repositioning one of the largest “non-productive” sources of maritime emissions.

Empty boxes also demand the same crane lifts, terminal yard space, and hinterland trucking or rail moves, compounding indirect emissions across the supply chain.

Implications for Shipping Operators and Supply Chains

For shipping lines and operators the rising empty TEU ratio increases operational costs, reduces utilisation rates, and strains container repositioning logistics. Empty repositioning is now a strategic concern not just for large carriers but also for smaller feeder and regional operators.

Furthermore, ports that are sources of surplus empties may increasingly face storage and handling bottlenecks. In tight markets this could influence terminal fees or storage charges, and affect how carriers plan their routing and scheduling—rebalancing empty-laden legs becomes more critical.

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