Dive Brief:

• Cargo from imports are expected to be at peak levels for volume even as retailers are scrambling to cope with the Hanjin shipping problems. Despite the slowdown of economic activity worldwide, import volume is still growing as expected.
• Port Tracker is calling for September imports to reach 1.62 million TEU.
• The Hanjin bankruptcy interruption is not expected to affect the volume for Sept. since many retailers made arrangements to get cargo in time for the holidays.

Dive Insight:

Although peak season is ramping up, maritime freight shippers have not seen the typical increases in container transport.

Some blame the change on the rise of e-commerce for forcing retailers to store less for wholesale and instead rely on air cargo or other expedited means of transport. Others, however, believe the shippers are suffering due to a self-imposed overcapacity resulting from a large-vessel arms race.

Regardless, Hanjin's inconvenient downfall was unlikely to affect total import volume given the excess of transport options. Maersk, MSC and a coalition of Korean shippers have already stepped in to fill the void from Hanjin as many retailers sought alternate plans to ensure the delivery of their goods. If anything, Hanson's bankruptcy may have helped diminish the industry's overcapacity woes.