CH Robinson has alerted its customers about potential air cargo capacity shortages on specific routes departing Asia during the second half of September. The freight forwarder attributes this expected tightening of space to several concurrent factors: the typical rush of quarter-end shipments, a rise in technology-related cargo volumes, and a pre-holiday export push. These combined pressures are likely to reduce available departure options, particularly impacting the transpacific and Asia-Europe trade lanes.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, this advisory suggests a need for proactive planning. Securing air cargo space out of Asia for late September shipments may become more challenging and potentially more expensive. Shippers should anticipate possible delays and consider booking shipments well in advance or exploring alternative routing options if flexibility allows. The increased demand could lead to higher spot rates and reduced flexibility in carrier choice, necessitating close communication with logistics partners to navigate the constrained market effectively.