Record-Breaking Port Congestion, Tighter Transshipment Origin Scrutiny, Perlis Inland Port Breaks 100,000 TEU | Haste Daily Briefing
Daily Industry Briefing
Today's three stories each affect one part of your business: first, space and rates — global port-waiting capacity has hit a record high, and spot rates from China to Southeast Asia keep climbing; second, documentation and compliance — Singapore is tightening transshipment origin declarations, raising the risk for goods re-exported to the US; third, local port capacity — Perlis Inland Port handled 100,000 TEU just 4.5 months after opening, meaning yard and haulage resources in northern Malaysia will get even tighter.
Today's Top 3
1. Global Port Congestion Surpasses Pandemic Peak — 4.3 Million TEU of Capacity Waiting to Berth
Splash247 reports that global container ship capacity waiting to berth has exceeded 4.3 million TEU, surpassing the absolute peak seen during the COVID-19 period.
Splash247 · 2026-08-28 · Read Original ↗
2. Singapore: Zero Tolerance for Using Transshipment to Evade Tariffs — Full Tightening of Origin Declaration Checks
The Loadstar reports that Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, made clear that as Asia's largest transshipment and trade hub, Singapore will not help exporters disguise the Chinese origin of goods to evade US tariffs.
The Loadstar · 2026-08-28 · Read Original ↗
3. Perlis Inland Port Handles 100,000 TEU in 4.5 Months Since Opening, Phase One Annual Capacity at 300,000 TEU
Perlis Inland Port (PIP) has handled 100,000 TEU within 4.5 months of full operation.
BusinessToday Malaysia · 2026-08-28 · Read Original ↗
HASTE TAKE
This Year, It's Not a Lack of Ships That's Driving Your Costs — It's Ports That Can't Clear the Backlog
Congestion is going straight into every cubic metre you ship. Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) rose 6% for the week of August 20 to US$1,091 per 40ft, with Shanghai–Singapore jumping from US$1,096 a week earlier to US$1,256 — a 15% weekly increase. During the same period, roughly 2.4 million TEU of capacity was waiting outside Chinese ports at one point, and global port-waiting capacity exceeded 4.3 million TEU. A US$160 increase per FEU for full-container loads, when spread across a 40HQ loaded with 60 cubic metres, translates to roughly US$2.7 per cubic metre in pure freight surcharge for LCL cargo — and that's before factoring in peak season surcharges. So the recent hike in LCL quotes stems from port queues, not agents padding their margins.
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:
All data in this article is drawn from public reports and publicly available indices. Freight rates and sailing schedules are subject to market changes; actual costs and schedules are subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
Aug 29,2026