Port Congestion Hits Record High, Singapore Tightens Origin Checks, Perlis Inland Port Clears 100,000 TEU in 4.5 Months
Daily Industry Briefing
Today's three stories each govern a different piece of the puzzle: record global port congestion determines whether your container gets a slot on the vessel; Singapore's stance that transshipment doesn't change Chinese origin determines how you need to handle documentation to stay out of trouble; and Perlis Inland Port clearing 100,000 TEU in 4.5 months determines where pickup and storage costs for northern Malaysia customers are headed.
Today's Top 3
1. Global Port Congestion Exceeds Pandemic Peak; Drewry: Industry Sacrificed Resilience to Save Costs
Linerlytica data shows global containership capacity waiting to berth has exceeded 4.3 million TEU, surpassing the absolute pandemic-era peak of roughly 4 million TEU.
Splash247 Β· 2026-08-28 Β· Read Original ↗
2. Singapore: Zero Tolerance for Using Transshipment to Evade Tariffs; Transshipment Does Not Change Chinese Origin
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong stated that Singapore does not support using its trade and logistics infrastructure to circumvent tariffs, calling such practices unacceptable.
The Loadstar Β· 2026-08-28 Β· Read Original ↗
3. Perlis Inland Port Handles 100,000 TEU in 4.5 Months of Full Operation
Perlis Inland Port (PIP) has processed 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) within 4.5 months of full operation.
BusinessToday Malaysia Β· 2026-08-28 Β· Read Original ↗
HASTE Take
Your Space Isn't Being Bought Up by Others β It's Stuck at the Anchorage
4.3 million TEU waiting to berth means 12.6% of global capacity is frozen outside ports β this capacity hasn't vanished, but nobody can use it until it returns to service. With 139 vessels queuing at Shanghai and 77 at Ningbo simultaneously, carriers' first priority is protecting mainline schedules: on 21 August, S&P Global's Platts Container Index rose to USD7,565/FEU, the year's highest, while Drewry's Intra-Asia index jumped 6% in a week to USD1,091/FEU. The two indices use different methodologies, but the sixfold-plus gap in per-container revenue speaks for itself β short-haul routes like China-Malaysia are naturally lower priority in loading sequences, which is exactly how rolled cargo, reallocated bookings and merged sailings come about.
This is a condensed version. The full briefing, with every key point, the cost comparison table and the recommended actions, is published on the Haste website:
Data in this article is drawn from public reports and official sources for reference only, and does not constitute tax, customs or legal advice. Actual requirements are subject to the latest regulations from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and carriers.
31 Aug 2026
