China Facing Container Shortage as Exporters Rush to Beat Looming U.S. Tariffs

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Containers sit at a port in Shandong province on May 20. Photo: VCG

A shortage of empty containers is building in China as domestic manufacturers, such as electric-vehicle (EV) makers, scramble to ship goods ahead of the imposition of higher U.S. tariffs and other potential trade restrictions.

A surge in Chinese exports this month has led to a short supply of empty shipping containers, several logistics sources told Caixin. Some exporters are now willing to pay more than $1,000 to get a 40-foot container, more than triple the price of the same period last year, they said.

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Chinese exporters face a shortage of empty containers due to a spike in exports and impending U.S. tariffs.
Exporters are paying over triple last year's cost to secure containers, driven partly by new U.S. tariffs on $18 billion of Chinese goods.
Chinese firms like CIMC are ramping up container production, expecting to alleviate the shortage by September.

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Who’s Who

China International Marine Containers Group Co. Ltd.: China International Marine Containers Group Co. Ltd. (CIMC) is a major player in the logistics sector, particularly involved in container production. Lu Chunrong, the director of equipment operations at CIMC, noted that they are ramping up container production to address a shortage caused by a surge in Chinese exports. CIMC expects a significant improvement in supply by September, with ongoing orders to be completed by the end of that month.

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