Schedule reliability fell to 56.4% in July, its lowest level since February 2025. Amid the global deterioration, Gemini reached 89.5% and was just half a point away from its operational target.
The reliability of container ship schedules suffered a sharp decline during July 2026, highlighting the impact that congestion and operational disruptions are having on supply chains. The global average fell to 56.4%, its lowest result since February 2025, according to Sea-Intelligence
The indicator fell 6.1 percentage points from the 62.6% recorded in June and was 8.8 points below the result for July of the previous year. These figures are part of the 180th edition of the Global Liner Performance report, which analyzes more than 12,000 monthly arrivals from over 60 shipping lines, 300 services, and 34 trade routes.
The deterioration was also reflected in the length of delays. Vessels arriving off schedule accumulated an average delay of 6.06 days, an increase of 0.59 days compared to the previous month. This is the highest figure in 2026 and the worst result observed since January 2024.
Six days average delay and 2.2 million TEUs immobilized by congestion
Lower punctuality rates raised the proportion of global capacity absorbed by delays and congestion to 6.6%, compared to the 5% estimated for June, according to maritime analyst Lars Jensen, based on data from Sea-Intelligence. Applied to the current size of the fleet, this percentage represents approximately 2.2 million TEUs of temporarily unavailable cargo space.
Before the pandemic, only about 2.2% of global capacity was affected by delays. The difference shows that, despite the arrival of new vessels, a considerable portion of the supply continues to be lost due to waiting times , itinerary changes, and additional time spent in ports. perdiéndose debido a esperas, alteraciones de itinerarios y tiempos adicionales en los puertos.
Maersk leads the shipping ranking but Gemini reaches 89.5% as a combined network
Among the 13 largest shipping lines, Maersk achieved the best July result with a reliability score of 73.7%, followed by Hapag-Lloyd at 69.3%. Maersk was the only company to surpass 70%, while Wan Hai came in last with 29.8%. None of the major lines managed to improve their monthly results, and MSC recorded the largest decline, falling 11.9 percentage points. retroceso de 11,9 puntos porcentuales.
In contrast to the global decline, the Gemini alliance, comprised of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, achieved an on-time performance of 89.5% , falling just half a point short of its stated target of 90%. The alliance's performance primarily reflects the punctuality of its joint East-West network, while the individual figures for its members take into account a broader portfolio of maritime services. confiabilidad de 89,5% y quedó a solo medio punto de su objetivo declarado de 90%. El desempeño de la alianza refleja principalmente la puntualidad de su red conjunta Este-Oeste, mientras las cifras individuales de sus integrantes consideran una cartera más amplia de servicios marítimos.
The results anticipate greater difficulties for importers and exporters in the coming weeks, as delays reduce effective capacity, disrupt connections, and hinder inventory planning. While Gemini demonstrates that a network designed with greater control over its nodes can sustain high levels of on-time performance, the global average confirms that the industry is still operating far from pre-pandemic normality.
Source: Mascontainer
