Port congestion eases as new shipping corridors come online

Average container dwell times fell for a fourth consecutive month as newly commissioned corridors absorbed volume that had been concentrated on a handful of chokepoints.

Carriers caution that the improvement is capacity-led rather than demand-led, and freight rates remain materially above pre-crisis benchmarks on long-haul routes.

Where the investment is going

• Deep-water berths and marine jetty capacity
• Storage, tank farms and bonded terminals
• Inland rail and truck corridor upgrades

West African terminal projects are drawing particular attention, with energy and industrial hubs increasingly planned alongside port capacity rather than after it.