Around 84% of APAC shippers who took part in a recent survey said that they experienced shipment delays at least monthly, and an equal % have changed shipment strategy frequently or occasionally because of disruption..
Let that number sink in..
- What happens in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the absolute center of global maritime logistics, which handles approximately 60% to 63% of all global seaborne container traffic, affects other regions as well.
- This information is directly from the actual shippers who are experiencing it..
These are some of the data and details covered in the recently released Asia-Pacific Freight Outlook H2 2026 by Dimerco, based on a direct market survey of APAC-connected shippers and cargo owners. These are the businesses booking freight, managing delays, reviewing providers, absorbing higher costs, and changing course when disruption hits..
The message is clear.. Market uncertainty never left the building..
Some of the other data in the report are equally interesting, or should I say scary, with 71% expecting freight demand to increase over the next six months, while 92% report that freight rates have risen over the past year..
These figures describe a market preparing for increased activity amid persistent operational pressure.
The report also reveals the factors that continue to drive these decisions.. Geopolitical disruption, port congestion, customs and regulatory delays, rate volatility, and unreliable schedules continue to affect route planning and mode choice.. Ocean freight carries much of the operational strain, while volatility at sea is also feeding into air freight capacity and pricing..
Provider relationships are under pressure as well, with more than 40% of respondents reportedly changing their primary logistics provider during the past 12 months..
This report is a record of what freight customers are saying about the market, based on their own operating experience.. The market (not just APAC) can use it to benchmark their H2 planning assumptions.. Freight forwarders and carriers can use it to understand where customer confidence is being tested and what buyers now expect from their logistics partners..
In addition to providing market context entering H2 2026, Dimerco’s report also provides key findings to guide your H2 planning..
Don’t miss out, download the Asia-Pacific Freight Outlook H2 2026 here now..
