February 2026 Press Release

An Unusual Start to 2026: Ahead of the Conflicts

Disclaimer

It is important to note that, although the February 2026 figures appear to defy expectations, the data reflects market conditions prior to the full impact of the current conflicts in the Middle East.

Additionally, comparisons with February 2025 should be made with caution, as that period coincided with alliance reorganisations and an earlier Chinese New Year, rather than the mid-month timing seen in 2026.

Furthermore, restated figures now show that December 2025 reached a new record of 17.1 million TEUs, breaking through the 17 million threshold and setting an unprecedented benchmark for monthly global liftings.

February 2026 Shows Extraordinary Figures

Despite the seasonal slowdown caused by Chinese New Year (Golden Week), February 2026 delivered volumes significantly higher than those seen over the past five years. Global volumes reached 15.04 million TEUs, up 12–13% on the previous two years.

Year to date growth stands at 8%, double the pace seen at this stage in 2025.

Month on month, volumes declined by 6.5%, which is expected due to the seasonal slowdown. However, this drop is notably smaller than the 13% decline observed between January and February 2025.

The Global Price Index fell by 4 points, now standing at 74, returning to levels last seen in October 2025. For context, February index levels stood at 84 in 2025. This continued softening may indicate an oversupply of capacity, as prices decline while volumes remain elevated.

North America: A Continued Weak Spot

North America continues to show weakness across both imports and exports. This ongoing decline is likely dampening overall global volumes and raises the question of how much higher global volumes could be if North America returned to pre-economic shift levels.

Exports from North America in February 2026 stood at just over 1.1 million TEUs, the lowest level since January 2025.

On the import side, North America recorded 2.6 million TEUs, the lowest level since February 2024, although when compared directly with February 2025, imports show a modest 4.8% increase—one of the few positive indicators for the region so far this year.

European Exports: A Contrasting Picture

Global exports present a mixed picture month on month. European exports surged by 18% compared with January, while the Far East and Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East declined by 12.9% and 8.1% respectively.

The increase in European exports is broad-based, with no trade lane decline month-on-month: exports from Europe to Australasia & Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa, and intra-Europe trades are all up by over 5%.

However, despite this short-term strength, European exports remain down 3.4% year to date, suggesting that the typical post-Christmas slowdown has had a more pronounced impact in 2026 than in previous years.

Major Export Regions See Month-on-Month Declines

The Far East and Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East were the only regions to experience across-the-board month-on-month declines in exports, largely due to seasonal and timing factors highlighted earlier.

Despite this, both regions remain strong on a broader basis. The Far East is up 18.8% year on year and 11.4% year to date, while the Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East is up 8.3% year on year and 9.6% year to date.

This continued strength is supported by increasing cargo flows into Sub-Saharan Africa, reinforcing the importance of these emerging trade routes in sustaining global growth.

Global Imports All See MoM Increase

All regions recorded year-on-year import growth; however the standout performer is once again Sub-Saharan Africa, with imports up an extraordinary 33% year on year and 22% year to date. This growth is being driven by increased cargo from the Far East and Indian Sub-Continent & Middle East, which are up over 60% and 25% respectively. The region continues to gain prominence, supported by demographic and infrastructure growth.

Europe has also recorded strong import growth, up 21% year on year and 12% year to date, despite a slight 3.8% month-on-month decline. This growth continues to be driven by accelerating Far East exports, with this trade alone up over 45% year on year.

Final Thoughts Ahead of Q1 2026

As we conclude what has been an unprecedented February, it is important to remember that these figures reflect conditions before the full impact of current geopolitical conflicts.

The upcoming Q1 2026 results will provide a clearer picture of how the year has truly begun under these external pressures. With North America continuing to decline in both imports and exports, global trade appears to be rebalancing across other regions.
The key question remains whether this redistribution is sustainable as we move further into 2026, or whether the evolving geopolitical landscape will reshape global trade patterns once again.

For a more detailed analysis of specific regional trades and to gain further insights into our findings, please contact us on sales@containertradesstatistics.com.