Shipping has found itself in a unique situation where unforeseen events have caused a global shortage of containers, which has had a domino effect down the supply chain, disrupting global trade. 

Early last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread, many countries implemented national lockdowns and ceased the production of goods, which ultimately pulled the plug on economic growth.

Shipping companies began reducing the number of cargo ships that were being sent out. This not only stopped the usual flow of import and export, but also saw empty containers lying uncollected on docks. 

The most significant example of this can be seen in the American regions, where Asian containers could not be sent back due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

As countries started to grapple with Covid-19, China – the first country to be impacted by the disease – began to recover. Ultimately, this meant China was able to resume its import and export trade while other countries were unable to.