According to specialized sector magazine ‘The Loadstar’ this morning, there’s an empty container emergency in India. The shortage of equipment due to the Red Sea crisis is starting to become a serious problem for local shippers. India’s three main ports (Nhava Sheva and Mundra) are suffering the negative repercussions of delays in departures and arrivals resulting from longer transits and the disruption of supply chains.
As is well known, a growing number of shipping companies are deliberately avoiding the Suez Canal for security reasons. The circumnavigation of Africa has now become a mandatory route for those who do not want to run the risk of being attacked by Houthi drones or missiles. The longer transits actually make the return of equipment difficult.
A freight forwarder based in Mumbai explains how it has become almost impossible to find 40-foot containers. The Loadstar points out how the shortage of equipment is limiting exporters’ capacity to ship goods to meet current orders, putting future shipments at risk.
Translation by Giles Foster
