Freight Demand Continues to Grow
Demand for international transportation remains resilient despite the Middle East conflict, changes in US tariff policy and disruption along major trade routes, according to comments by the heads of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd reported by CNBC.
Maersk’s official results confirm the growth in cargo flows. The company’s Ocean volumes increased by 4.1% in the second quarter of 2026, while terminal volumes rose by 2.2%. Group revenue climbed 20% year over year to $15.8 billion, Maersk reported.
Hapag-Lloyd also recorded a market recovery. The carrier transported 3.5 million TEU during the quarter, compared with 3.4 million TEU a year earlier. Its average freight rate increased by 9% to $1,475 per TEU. CEO Rolf Habben Jansen attributed the improvement to robust demand and higher spot rates, according to the company’s second-quarter report.
Bottlenecks Are Moving Inland
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc believes the main constraint is increasingly found on land rather than at sea. Terminals, container yards, rail connections, roads and inland waterways in several regions are struggling to process the growing flow of cargo.
Clerc linked the current pressure to approximately 15 years of insufficient infrastructure investment. When containers cannot leave a port quickly, they occupy terminal space for longer and slow the handling of subsequent shipments. Cargo owners may consequently face longer delivery times, storage expenses and additional charges.
The problem is particularly visible at major Asian ports. Habben Jansen said shipping volumes were exceptionally high, while some of the region’s largest terminals were struggling to keep pace with demand.
Hormuz, the Rhine and Panama Add More Pressure
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has forced shipping companies to reroute some cargo through alternative ports and inland corridors. This represents a severe restriction on traffic rather than a complete halt to every vessel passage. Hapag-Lloyd said the blockage increased its bunker, insurance, storage, rerouting and inland transportation costs.
Low water levels on the Rhine are creating additional pressure. Draft restrictions prevent barges from operating at full capacity, pushing more cargo onto railways and roads. Reuters reported that some sailings had been halted by mid-August 2026, while European companies warned of rising logistics costs.
The Panama Canal is also introducing tighter draft limits. The maximum authorised draft for Neopanamax vessels is scheduled to fall to 48 feet on August 26 and to 47.5 feet on September 3, according to an advisory issued by the Panama Canal Authority.
Road Transport Cannot Quickly Replace Maritime Capacity
Moving cargo to road routes can help maintain supply chains, but it does not eliminate the capacity problem. A single container ship or a convoy of inland barges carries volumes that may require hundreds or thousands of trucks.
When roads, parking facilities, border crossings and inland terminals are already operating close to capacity, additional freight creates queues and equipment shortages. Transport rates can therefore increase even when sufficient vessel capacity remains available at sea.
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd argue that the industry needs investment not only in ships but also in ports, railway connections, road corridors and inland terminals. Without coordinated expansion across the entire network, further trade growth is likely to produce more frequent delays and higher logistics costs.
Read also: Maersk Increases Congestion Fee for Beira Port in Mozambique
