Shippers are increasingly seeing their cargoes being shipped by other vessels than originally planned due to the global shortage of empty containers, shows a new analysis by Ocean Insights, a German analyst and consultancy firm for shippers.

The lack of empty containers has been a hot topic in recent months. Following the coronavirus crisis, demand for Chinese goods has soared, leading to a significant jump in demand for container freight. But this demand shift has led to equipment shortages in several places around the world, ultimately causing problems for the shipping lines' customers.