Asia-Europe container shipping punctuality deteriorated sharply between May and September, with the share of vessels arriving on their scheduled day falling from 51% to 31%, according to Drewry data published by Hellenic Shipping News. The figures cover all carriers and ports on the route, highlighting widespread difficulties in meeting advertised schedules.
Gemini, which generally performs above the average for punctuality, recorded on-time arrivals of 34% in September. Individual carrier reliability scores ranged from 19% to 38%, according to the analysis. When cancelled departures, known as blank sailings, were included alongside delays, the proportion of Asia-Europe sailings that both operated and arrived on time was approximately 29% that month.
Congestion at Asian ports was a central pressure identified in the report. At Shanghai, berth waiting times increased from about 1.6 days to 3.9 days as arrival reliability dropped from 55% to 10%. Reliability across the wider Asia-Europe route also weakened. Drewry found no similarly close statistical relationship between Rotterdam berth congestion and the punctuality of Asia-Europe vessels arriving there, underlining the importance of monitoring major Asian gateways.
The analysis also linked worsening Shanghai congestion during the peak season with fewer cancelled Asia-Europe departures. Drewry’s interpretation was that strong cargo volumes gave carriers an incentive to deploy additional vessel capacity and retain more sailings in pursuit of higher profits, adding to congestion. It argued that recent performance suggested punctual operations had not been the highest priority for either ports or ocean carriers.
For cargo owners and forwarders, the report recommends comparing providers’ performance, choosing stronger operators where possible and allowing additional supply-chain time, particularly during peak periods. Drewry also advocates assessing carrier performance, port congestion and network exposure together, so disruption risks inform procurement and contingency planning rather than merely prompting responses after delays occur.
The methodology matters when interpreting the figures. Drewry collects estimated arrival times between two and six weeks before vessels arrive, seeking to measure performance against schedules available near booking. The report contrasts this with approaches using estimates published roughly 15 days before arrival, describing Drewry’s benchmark as more demanding.