News
March proved to be an outstanding month for global container volumes, recording the second-highest volume ever seen in the Container Trades Statistics (CTS) database that stood at 16.194 million TEUs, up 14.6% from the previous month and up 6.5% year on year. This figure closely follows the reinstated record set in December 2024, which reached 16.199 million TEUs. These impressive figures highlight the strength of the market in recent months, with both record-breaking months occurring within the past four months, despite the ongoing challenges in an ever-changing market.
However, while volumes have remained robust, the global price index has continued its slow decline since the beginning of 2025, falling 15% year to date. The index now stands at its lowest level since June 2023, when it stood at 79 points.
When examining import performance across regions for the first quarter (January-March) of 2025, all regions experienced either stabilization or growth, with the exception of Australasia and Oceania, which saw a year-to-date decline of 3% compared to the same months of 2024. This pullback appears to be a result of decreased exports from North America to this region.
The best-performing import region in the first quarter was Sub-Saharan Africa, which saw an 8% increase. This growth was supported by strong volumes, particularly from North America. Interestingly, imports into the Far East remained flat.
