Industrial Port Headwinds Show Signs of Easing

The headwinds facing industrial port markets in the first half of 2022 — including elevated dwell times for cargo ships, landside bottlenecks, and chassis shortages — appear to be easing, but growth expectations for 2023 may be tempered by inflation, ongoing supply chain issues, and resulting disruptions.

A new report from Cushman & Wakefield notes that the National Retail Federation is projecting lower port volumes in the second half of 2022 as many retailers stocked inventories early in preparation for the holiday shopping season. Shipments are also expected to slow as the overall economy slumps. Cargo ships are also likely to be congested for the near future thanks to a surge in empty containers in outbound traffic.