Global container volumes reached 15.4 million TEUs in January 2025, reflecting a 5.8% increase year-on-year, though this marks a nearly 4% decline from December 2024’s 16 million TEUs, according to Container Trades Statistics's release.
The drop follows a strong end to 2024, with January and February 2024 having recorded the year’s lowest volumes due to Asian festivities.
Monthly imports across all regions declined compared to December 2024, with Sub-Saharan Africa reporting the largest decrease at 6%, attributed to reduced exports from the Far East and Europe.
North America saw a year-on-year import growth of 7.6%, while Europe recorded a 13% increase, driven by exports from the Far East and the Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East.
Regional exports also declined month-on-month, with North America and Sub-Saharan Africa experiencing year-on-year drops of 7.6% and 1.1%, respectively, though the Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East and Far East saw export surges of 12.4% and 8.3%.
The global price index fell 2 points to 94 in January 2025, compared to 88 in January 2024, 107 in January 2023, and 204 in January 2022, with a marginal 1-point rise to 94 in November 2024 from 69 in November 2023, though still 40 points below the 134 recorded in November 2022.
Drewry, a London-based maritime research consultancy, provides shipping and trade analysis, including the Drewry World Container Index, which tracks global container freight rates and volumes.
Maersk, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a leading global shipping company that regularly reports on container volume trends, influencing market insights like those in 2025.
COSCO Shipping, based in Shanghai, China, is a major player in global container shipping, contributing significantly to the volume data reported in early 2025.