Drewry's Global Container Port Throughput Index dropped 3.3% month-over-month in July, the steepest monthly contraction of 2026 so far, after three typhoons within five weeks battered China's largest box ports and West Coast US gateways slid into the red.

The London-based consultancy's headline index slipped 1.3% year-on-year, while the rolling 12-month average growth rate sank to 3.8% — the lowest reading in more than two years. Year-to-date throughput through July grew only 2.2%, a sharp deceleration that underlines how fragile global box trade has become heading into the traditionally busy fourth quarter.

How bad is Greater China?

The Greater China Container Port Throughput Index plunged 6.6% month-over-month in July, even as the year-on-year comparison stayed marginally positive at +1.1%. Drewry's analysts said Chinese terminals had been running at high utilisation levels through the first half of 2026, leaving virtually no slack when the storms struck.

Three typhoons within five weeks piled additional pressure on the two largest ports in the world, raising congestion at terminals already operating near the ceiling. The capacity squeeze rippled outward: Busan absorbed diverted cargo in August as Chinese berths closed intermittently.

Why are North American volumes weak?

The North American Container Port Throughput Index rose just 0.6% month-over-month in July and fell 1.0% year-on-year. The rolling 12-month average now sits at -1.1%, deeper in negative territory than at any point since 2023.

The West Coast told the worst story. Los Angeles handled 5.8% less cargo in July than in June; Long Beach dropped 1.7%. Even with the regional aggregate still positive, the two biggest US box ports contracted — a sign that shippers pulled forward fewer imports ahead of the Lunar New Year and that retailers have thinned inventories after a long stretch of destocking.

Where does Europe stand?

The European Container Port Throughput Index fell 1.3% month-over-month and 2.2% year-on-year. The big three Northwest European hubs delivered a weak first half.

Antwerp-Bruges recorded a 1.5% decline in June year-to-date volumes. Bremerhaven was the only North Range port to break the trend, posting 6.3% growth — a sharp outlier that reflects the German hub's gains in feeder and transhipment calls. Hamburg's absence from the upside list suggests carriers continue to route boxes around the Elbe's draft limits.

What does this mean for shippers and carriers?

Three commercial signals stand out for freight buyers, ocean carriers and forwarders:

• Rates: With global growth slowing and capacity pressures concentrated in China, transpacific and Asia-Europe spot rates face downside risk if typhoon disruption fades.
• Capacity: Busan's August strain shows how quickly diverted cargo can swamp secondary hubs, raising demurrage and detention exposure.
• Reliability: Congestion at the world's top two ports adds schedule volatility right when retailers traditionally stockpile for the year-end.

What's the outlook?

Drewry's nowcasting model, built on proprietary AIS vessel capacity and terminal duration data from over 340 ports covering more than 80% of global volumes, flagged the slowdown well ahead of the July print. Port operations held steady across North and Southeast Asia in August.

If typhoon disruption eases and European demand stabilises into the peak season, the consultancy expects the rolling 12-month growth rate to bottom out near current levels before recovering modestly through the fourth quarter. Absent that, the global index could revisit the negative territory it last touched in late 2023.