Global container liftings reached 89.2 million TEU in H1 2026, down from previous years but still above 2023 and 2022 levels.
Global container liftings reached an estimated 89.2 million TEU in the first half of 2026, trailing the strong volumes of 2024 and 2025, reported London's Container News.
EconDB figures show that liftings fell by 10.6 per cent compared with the same period in 2025 and by 7.4 per cent against 2024. However, volumes remained 1.6 per cent higher than in 2023 and 3.8 per cent above 2022.
Each month from January to June recorded lower liftings than in 2024 and 2025. March saw the widest gap, with 14.99 million TEU compared with 16.76 million in 2024 and 17.85 million in 2025.
Despite the slowdown, 2026 continues to outperform earlier years. The first-half total exceeded 2023 by 1.6 per cent and 2022 by 3.8 per cent, indicating that container transport activity remains elevated.
Analysts stated that the data points to moderation rather than a sharp downturn, with the market easing from recent highs but still resilient compared with earlier in the decade.