European transport and logistics companies can expect a lower availability of containers in the near future, warns the Italian company Sogese. Carriers are sending containers back to Asia, which will likely lead to supply chain complications in Europe.
“What we are seeing in the market is a clear directional shift in container flows”, explained Sogese CEO Andrea Monti. “Depots across Europe remain congested, while prices and demand signals in China are strengthening. Carriers are actively repositioning equipment back to origin, and this is likely to reduce European stock levels in the near term […] as production and demand begin to align again.”
Strengthened production activity in Asia, and in China in particular, is pulling containers away from Europe. The result is that stock levels across Europe will likely decline. This is especially true for 40HC containers, which are important in long-haul trade.
Impact on rail
“As carriers reposition containers back toward Asia and maritime schedules remain less predictable, the impact is increasingly visible across Europe’s intermodal rail networks as well”, comments Sogese CEO Andrea Monti. “Rail freight depends heavily on stable terminal flows, predictable vessel arrivals, and consistent equipment availability.”
When containers arrive unevenly or remain tied up longer in the system, rail operators can face lower utilisation efficiency, disrupted planning, and pressure on service economics, particularly on port-linked corridors. The challenge for the sector is that intermodal rail works best on predictability and density, while the current logistics environment is becoming more volatile and fragmented”, Monti continues.
Slowed equipment circulation
Sogese states that there has been elevated depot congestion and extended dwell times in much of early 2026, creating a perception of container oversupply. This is now being corrected. However, longer transit cycles, inland bottlenecks and congestion at intermediate hubs continue to slow down the return of equipment into active circulation. This worsens the impact of containers moving back to Asia, says Sogese.
“The tightening in Europe is being driven by how containers move through the system. Extended transit times, delayed port operations, and disrupted routing patterns are increasing the time it takes for equipment to complete each cycle”, the Italian company explained.
With accelerating repositioning, Sogese is expecting availability constraints to emerge, even while depot utilisation remains high. “This creates a disconnect between visible stock levels and actual access to usable equipment”, the company says.
Sogese expects container capacity to remain, but equipment circulation to be constrained. Exporters and logistics operators in Europe will likely face reduced access to containers during peak windows, longer lead times to secure equipment and greater variability in planning and execution, says the Italian company. This creates uncertainty, also in the maritime sector, where routes and schedules change as conditions evolve. The expected delays and uncertainty are pressuring working capital, particularly for smaller companies.