No demand: world’s container ships run near empty
Hong Kong - Warehouses are getting so full of goods like fridges and washing machines that retailers are asking shipping companies to push back deliveries, which may drag global container shipments down as much as 30% in the next few months

Hong Kong - Warehouses are getting so full of goods like fridges and washing machines that retailers are asking shipping companies to push back deliveries, which may drag global container shipments down as much as 30% in the next few months, according to the head of an industry group. Shipments have probably fallen about 15% so far this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to International Chamber of Shipping Chairman Esben Poulsson. Second-quarter declines, compared with a year ago, will depend on by how much governments reopen economies, he said: “Inventories of goods like apparel, textiles, white goods, are full, - Poulsson said. - We are hearing of receivers of these goods asking shipping lines whether they can store these goods for a period of time or slow their ships down or basically delay taking delivery.”
NO PLAIN SALING
Inbound containers to the Port of Los Angeles plunged 26% in March from a year earlier, while Singapore’s container throughput dropped to its worst reading since August and Hong Kong’s measure fell below average again after a brief respite in February.