Currently, shipping lines are once again benefiting from favourable supply and demand conditions, leading to a rebound in profits, though these remain well below the pandemic highs. Capacity has become more constrained as Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have forced vessels to take longer routes around southern Africa, contributing to increased spot container rates and congestion at several major ports. Despite these challenges, global volumes reached a record high last quarter of 46.4 million units, measured in 20-foot containers, surpassing the previous record of 46.2 million from the second quarter of 2021, as per figures from Container Trades Statistics Ltd, cited by McCown.

Demand has been particularly strong in the US, where retailers and other importers are increasing their stock levels in warehouses due to concerns about new tariffs on Chinese goods and a potential dockworkers' strike at East and Gulf Coast ports. McCown mentioned in the report that a coast-wide strike, or even a strike at key ports, would significantly disrupt container networks for all the major carriers and could quickly extend beyond routes involving the US.