Red Sea container capacity doubles in six weeks as carriers return; Gulf reefer transit time back in focus

Container capacity transiting the Red Sea has doubled in six weeks, a shift that shortens voyage times to the Gulf and is likely to reset freight costs for reefer cargo into 2027.

Xeneta's weekly ocean market update, published on 16 October 2026, puts scheduled weekly capacity crossing the Bab el-Mandeb — the southern gateway to the Red Sea — at 448,273 TEU on 5 October 2026. That is double the figure recorded on 27 August 2026, though still only 48 percent of the 930,679 TEU offered in August 2023, before carriers began diverting around the Cape of Good Hope.

For importers of frozen and chilled poultry, the routing question comes down to two things: transit time and total landed cost. A Red Sea routing shortens the voyage from East Asia and keeps reefer equipment turning faster; a Cape routing adds days at sea and ties up containers, which shows up later in equipment availability and in the price of the next booking.

• Bab el-Mandeb capacity: 448,273 TEU scheduled in the week to 5 October 2026, double the 27 August level and 48 percent of the August 2023 figure of 930,679 TEU.
• Far East to Mediterranean spot: USD 4,165 per FEU on 16 October 2026, up 3.2 percent week on week.
• Far East to North Europe spot: USD 3,568 per FEU, up 2.5 percent week on week.
• Transpacific: Far East to US West Coast USD 8,296 per FEU, down 0.2 percent; Far East to US East Coast USD 11,495 per FEU, down 0.1 percent, with 58,200 TEU and 35,500 TEU of capacity blanked on the two lanes this week.
• Analyst view: Xeneta senior shipping analyst Emily Stausbøll said the capacity released back into the global fleet "will have a profound impact on freight rates and services heading into 2027", and that shippers should treat the Red Sea shift as a primary driver of next year's market.

One qualification matters for buyers: Xeneta's published weekly averages cover the Far East–Europe and transatlantic head-haul lanes, and the release does not quote a Gulf-specific reefer rate. The Mediterranean figure is the closest published proxy for a Suez-dependent trade, not a Jebel Ali quote.

The practical read is to keep 2027 contract talks flexible rather than locking long tenors at today's levels, and to confirm with the carrier whether a given booking is routed via Suez or the Cape before agreeing a delivery window on a perishable or frozen consignment.

Nau Food Group supplies frozen poultry and meat to Dubai and regional markets with halal, HACCP and full origin and health documentation, and can arrange customs clearance and delivery to Jebel Ali and the Dubai free zones. For route and delivery options, write to info@naufoodgroup.com.

Source: Xeneta Weekly Ocean Container Shipping Market Update, 16 October 2026.