Capacity bottlenecks in logistics: The situation remains tense

At the beginning of the year, it seemed as if the global economy could take a breather - and logistics with it. However, with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices, conditions deteriorated again. In Switzerland, overall economic hopes have been dampened. Many observers in this country continue to expect growth in the current financial year. However, the Raiffeisen Group has already revised its growth forecast for national GDP downwards from 2.2% to 1.9%.

In addition to the acute consequences for the purchasing power of households and companies, already familiar problems in the supply chains are once again making themselves felt. A further lockdown in China, for example, temporarily brought the flow of goods to a standstill.

The important Chinese hubs such as Shenzen and Shanghai have recovered quickly. In principle, this easing and resolution of the congestion is a positive development. However, the delayed release of the transport volume is likely to lead to congestion at European ports. As a result, unloading capacities will be heavily utilized and transport containers such as empty containers will be in short supply.

These challenges will remain for the industry for the foreseeable future. It will probably be several months before the situation eases completely.