Global Shipping Short 1.7M TEU of Capacity, GST-SST Hybrid Tax Study, Carousell Plugs Into SPX: Three Things Importers Need to Know Today
Daily Industry Briefing
Three stories today, each hitting a different pressure point: first, on the capacity side, port delays have locked up roughly 1.7 million TEU of effective capacity at sea, affecting your booking space and schedule stability; second, on the tax side, the government has started studying how to fold GST elements into SST, affecting your future import cost structure and documentation management; third, on last-mile fulfilment, Carousell has connected to SPX's 1,000-plus service points in Peninsular Malaysia, affecting your local delivery costs and restocking approach.
Today's Three Stories
1. Port Congestion Locks Up ~1.7M TEU of Capacity, Schedule Reliability Still Stuck at 60%–65%
Sea-Intelligence points out that the global market is currently "missing" about 1.7 million TEU of vessel capacity due to persistent delays
The Loadstar · 2026-08-19 · Read Original ↗
2. Malaysia Studies GST-SST Hybrid Tax System, Industry Wants Clarity on How It Would Work
At a 2027 Budget engagement session, PM Anwar said the government is studying a more progressive tax system that blends elements of GST and SST
Free Malaysia Today · 2026-08-19
3. Carousell Malaysia Plugs Into SPX Express, Label-Free Shipping at Over 1,000 Peninsular Malaysia Service Points
Carousell Malaysia has added Shopee's SPX Express as a delivery option, letting sellers ship label-free at more than 1,000 SPX service points across Peninsular Malaysia
TNGlobal · 2026-08-19
HASTE TAKE
Capacity hasn't disappeared — it's locked up at sea by delays. Your LCL costs and arrival dates need to be replanned around this reality
Let's start with how that 1.7 million TEU translates into your freight bill. June delays absorbed about 5% of the global fleet, 2.8 percentage points above the 2011–2019 baseline of 2.2%, and the excess portion alone is equivalent to roughly 1 million TEU being pulled out of circulation. Capacity being locked up doesn't mean fewer ships exist — it means the same vessel can complete fewer round trips per year: late vessels now run 5–5.5 days behind versus the previous average of 3–4 days, adding roughly two extra days per round trip. Carriers either need to deploy extra vessels to make up sailings, or a weekly schedule ends up skipping a week. Short-haul feeder routes like China–Malaysia rely on small-to-mid-size vessels spilling over from mainline services — when the mainline tightens, feeder routes lose booking space first. That's the real reason your bookings get rolled and your consolidation cutoffs shift from weekly to every ten days.
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:
This article is compiled from public reports for reference only and does not constitute tax, legal or investment advice. Actual freight rates, taxes and sailing schedules are subject to final determination by carriers and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
Aug 20,2026