Industry News

Seatrade Maritime News and MDS Transmodal examine how container shipping lines are laying the ground work for service restructuring ahead of a return to Suez Canal and Red Sea transits.

Preparations for the absorption of some 2m teu of excess capacity are already under way as container shipping lines extend pendulum services and add more direct calls.

The key to the maximum absorption of capacity will be direct services, particularly to and from sub-Saharan Africa, and an increase in services transiting the Indian Ocean, rounding the Cape and heading for US East Coast destinations.

Analyst Darron Wadey at Dynamar said there are “cautious yet positive signs” for Suez and Red Sea transits to resume, however, he warns there will be no mad rush back to Suez, because carriers will want a firm security foundation on which build on.

“Even if the carriers feel comfortable enough to start transiting the Red Sea/Suez Canal again en masse, the logistics of the exercise will mean this will require weeks if not months to unravel,” he added.

It seems that the carriers agree with Wadey’s view and their transition is already, if slowly, becoming a reality.

Analysis of the shifts in capacity reveal trends that suggest that moving into late 2025, the North America trade lane will continue to see strategic deployment adjustments with the East Coast gaining prominence in multi-region service patterns, and the West Coast maintaining its Far East-centric focus.

Consultancy MDS Transmodal’s data reveals that overall North American vessel capacity remains stable at around 5 million teu, however, West Coast capacity shows a slight decline, while East Coast vessel capacity is expanding.

Direct Far East–North America services are decreasing on the West Coast but rising on the East Coast, while indirect and multi-leg services are growing on both coasts.

The West Coast accounted for 2.46m teu, slightly lower than last month {October 2025), -0.3% and below November 2024 levels -1.8%, whereas the East Coast handled 2.73m teu, up year-on-year by 6.9% despite a small month-on-month decline of -0.3%.

In contrast, the East Coast, Far East–North America direct services grew 17.9% but remain a smaller portion of total capacity at 10%. Indirect and non-Far East services dominate, comprising 58% of the total teu.

Analysis of the Europe and Med hub connections reflects the carriers’ strategic redeployment of capacity through intermediate ports, enhancing service diversity and flexibility for East Coast ports with significant year-on-year gains in capacity, which now accounts for 2.3% of total.

Non-Far East services, including North America – Latin America and Europe & Med – North America, contributed to the majority of East Coast growth.

In what appears to be a clear shift in emphasis the East Coast trades are increasingly relying on diversified trade routes, while the West Coast ports remain concentrated on Far East flows. 

Carriers are clearly adjusting capacity between coasts, leveraging indirect services and non-Far East trade lanes to manage congestion, overcapacity, and market demand dynamics.

Global liner networks are showing renewed momentum, with developing markets emerging as key beneficiaries of shifting trade patterns. As carriers adapt to post-pandemic flows and ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea, new direct connections are reshaping the geography of maritime access.

Out of 179 countries tracked, 63 increased their direct maritime connectivity between Q4 2024 and Q4 2025, while 51 saw declines and 65 remained unchanged. The largest gains were observed in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Europe & Mediterranean region, which together account for nearly 60% of all countries with higher connectivity.

To read it in seatrade-maritime.com : click here