Container line punctuality plummets in 2026 as Gemini alliance bucks the industry trend

Container shipping schedule reliability is deteriorating across the industry in 2026, creating significant planning challenges for shippers and freight forwarders managing time-sensitive supply chains. The Gemini Cooperation (Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd) stands out as a notable exception, maintaining superior on-time performance that warrants consideration when selecting carriers or renegotiating service contracts. Operators relying on other alliances should build additional transit time buffers and reassess carrier mix to mitigate schedule risk.