Q4 bookings open this month on routings that change service by service. This freight market update for September 2026 starts with Suez, where Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are moving four more services, three of them with first sailings from 19 September, and then covers the rates, blank sailings and deadlines that decide what you book and when.
Short answer: as of 15 September 2026, carriers are returning to the Suez Canal service by service. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd's Gemini AE11, AE5 and ME2 are scheduled to make their first westbound Suez sailings on 19, 21 and 24 September, while Evergreen, ONE, HMM and Yang Ming had yet to return as of 14 September, according to Linerlytica. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to container shipping since 28 February 2026. On Drewry's World Container Index, by our calculation, Shanghai–Rotterdam fell 9.7% between 13 August and 10 September to USD 3,997 per 40ft, while Shanghai–Los Angeles rose 17.7% to USD 7,352.
September 2026 freight market update at a glance
- Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd said on 14 September that four more Gemini services will route via Suez, with first westbound sailings from 19 September. Routing now differs by carrier and by voyage.
- The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to container shipping since 28 February 2026; Gulf cargo moves on emergency surcharges and overland routes.
- Drewry's Asia–Europe lanes eased and its transpacific lanes rose in the four weeks to 10 September, so buyers on each trade negotiate Q4 from opposite positions.
- Drewry counts 11% of East–West sailings blanked from 14 September to 18 October, and July schedule reliability was 56.4% (Sea-Intelligence). Add buffers to arrival dates.
- Carriers surrender EU ETS allowances by 30 September, the US port-fee suspension ends on 9 November unless extended, and EUDR applies to large and medium operators from 30 December. Check which of them reach your Q4 contracts.
Are ships going through the Suez Canal again?
Yes, on a growing list of services. According to Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd's joint Gemini announcement of 14 September, AE5 (Asia–North Europe), AE11 and AE12 (Asia–Mediterranean) and ME2 (India–Europe) move from the Cape of Good Hope to Suez in both directions. First westbound sailings are scheduled for 19 September (AE11), 21 September (AE5) and 24 September (ME2); first eastbound sailings run from 22 September (AE5) to 31 October (ME2), and AE12 will be dated later. Both carriers say the change depends on continued stability in the Red Sea.
Other carriers are at different stages. MSC partially restored Suez transits on its Jade, Albatros, Tiger and Himalaya services from 20 August (advisory of 24 August, reported by World Cargo News), and Container News reported on 15 September that MSC's Indusa service is due to send westbound sailings via Suez from 23 September, with eastbound sailings staying on the Cape. Linerlytica said on 14 September that COSCO and OOCL were due to start eastbound Suez transits from 15 September, and that Evergreen, ONE, HMM and Yang Ming “have yet to return to the Red Sea”.
Three separate measures show how partial the return is. Sea-Intelligence rates the Red Sea situation 27% normalised as a September average, in figures that predate the Gemini move (The Loadstar, 14 September). Linerlytica puts capacity still diverted via the Cape at 4.6% of the global fleet on 14 September, a two-year low. Xeneta puts August container volumes through Bab el-Mandeb at about 23% of their August 2023 level.
Suez routing saves about 11 days on a typical China–Genoa service, according to Xeneta. Returns can reverse: Maersk sent ME11 and MECL sailings back around the Cape on 27 February 2026, 15 days after ME11's first Gemini Red Sea transit, citing “unforeseen constraints”, gCaptain reported. Promise delivery on Cape transit times until Suez is confirmed on your booking before departure.
In the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed to container shipping since 28 February 2026, Lloyd's List Intelligence said on 9 September that it had counted 346 non-Iranian-linked transits in August and said container-ship movements “saw little change”.
How are rates, blank sailings and schedules moving before Q4?
Drewry's World Container Index composite was stable for a second week on 10 September at USD 4,476 per 40ft, while its lanes moved apart. Since 13 August, on our calculation, Shanghai–Rotterdam is down 9.7% to USD 3,997 and Shanghai–Genoa down 17.0% to USD 4,216, while Shanghai–Los Angeles is up 17.7% to USD 7,352 and Shanghai–New York up 11.7% to USD 9,726. Drewry ties the Asia–Europe fall to capacity restored by the selective Suez return. On the Gulf trades, Xeneta had China–Jeddah at USD 10,870 per FEU on 9 September, above its Covid-era record.
Drewry's Cancelled Sailings Tracker of 11 September counts 79 of 721 East–West sailings cancelled from 14 September to 18 October, or 11%, with 52% of them on the transpacific eastbound and 33% on Asia–North Europe and the Mediterranean. Sea-Intelligence puts global schedule reliability at 56.4% in July, the lowest of 2026, with late vessels an average 6.06 days behind. August figures had not been published as of 15 September.
In air cargo, WorldACD puts worldwide tonnage up 5% year on year in August, while China and Hong Kong to Europe was down 14% year on year in July and August after the EU's €3 customs duty on low-value parcels began on 1 July. WorldACD also points to higher air fuel surcharges ahead.
What does it mean for Europe, the Gulf, Türkiye and Asia?
Europe
Kuehne+Nagel put yard occupancy at about 90% at APMT Maasvlakte II and 88% at Bremerhaven in the week of 2 to 8 September, and the Rhine at Kaub read 28 cm on 15 September (ELWIS). Our Europe market update for September 2026 covers ports, the German port pay talks, the low Rhine and EU rules already in force.
Middle East and Gulf
Maersk's 11 September update sets emergency freight of USD 1,800 to USD 3,800 per container for much of the Gulf, plus USD 1,000 per container for a Hormuz transit, and Portcast put the median vessel wait at Jeddah at 2.2 days in the week of 6 to 12 September. The Red Sea and Hormuz shipping update covers routings to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the Upper Gulf.
Türkiye
MSC's Tiger service sailed east from Mersin via Suez on 20 August (World Cargo News), while Maersk's network update of 27 February 2026 took İzmit and Istanbul off AE15 from its April rotation, with Türkiye served by shuttles via Egypt. Our Türkiye export logistics update covers road, Ro-Ro and sea routes, EU rules for Turkish-made goods and axle-load fines.
Asia
China's Mid-Autumn holiday runs 25 to 27 September and National Day 1 to 7 October, and Drewry had the average vessel wait at Shanghai easing from 94 to 64 hours between weeks 35 and 36. Our China Golden Week 2026 shipping guide covers cut-offs and blanked sailings, and our ocean freight rates report tracks the Drewry lanes.
Which shipping deadlines fall before the end of 2026?
| Date | What | Who it hits | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19–24 Sep | First westbound Gemini Suez sailings: AE11 (19 Sep), AE5 (21 Sep), ME2 (24 Sep); AE12 later | Asia and India–Europe importers | Recheck ETA and inland slots on each confirmation |
| 30 Sep | EU ETS: shipping companies surrender allowances for 70% of 2025 emissions | Carriers; Europe-bound freight costs | Ask for the ETS surcharge method in Q4 tenders |
| 5 Oct | Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Q3 2026 certificate price due | EU importers of CBAM goods | Update CBAM cost estimates |
| 1 Nov | Product identifiers mandatory in EU low-value e-commerce customs declarations | Low-value e-commerce into the EU | Add EAN or ISBN-type identifiers to declaration data |
| 9 Nov | US Section 301 port-fee suspension ends unless extended; fees possible from 10 Nov | US importers on China-linked ships | Ask about fee pass-through for arrivals from 10 Nov |
| 10 Nov | China's suspension of six export-control announcements (Announcement No. 70) ends unless extended | Buyers of rare-earth, lithium-battery and superhard materials | Ship or confirm licensing before 10 Nov |
| 30 Dec | EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) applies to large and medium operators and to small operators already under the EU Timber Regulation; other micro and small operators from 30 Jun 2027 | EU importers of the seven EUDR commodities | Have due diligence statements ready |
What should shippers do in September 2026?
- Share Q4 forecasts by lane and week with carriers and forwarders now, get Suez or Cape routing in writing for each Asia and India–Europe booking, and agree who pays for extra days and surcharges if a voyage goes back to the Cape.
- Request reefer, out-of-gauge and project equipment when you book. For reefer, dangerous goods or out-of-gauge cargo to the Gulf, name an alternative gateway.
- Until 18 October, add at least one week to Asia deep-sea arrivals plus one weekly sailing for bookings in blanked weeks (our working buffer, drawn from the Drewry and Sea-Intelligence data above), and get China-origin cargo to the terminal before 24 September.
- Check the deadlines table against your Q4 contracts, and ask every all-in quote which emergency, fuel and peak season surcharges apply and when each was set.
- Plan the load before you book. Each extra container in a blanked week is another booking, another roll-over risk and another demurrage and detention (D&D) clock; our load planner shows how few containers or trailers the order needs.
Frequently asked questions
Are container ships going through the Suez Canal again?
Some are, service by service. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have scheduled the first westbound Suez sailings of their Gemini AE11, AE5 and ME2 services for 19, 21 and 24 September 2026, and MSC said it partially restored transits on four East–West services from 20 August. Evergreen, ONE, HMM and Yang Ming hadn't returned as of 14 September, according to Linerlytica. Carriers say returns depend on continued stability.
How much extra transit time should I allow for Asia–Europe cargo this peak season?
Allow at least one extra week on Asia deep-sea arrivals until 18 October 2026, plus one weekly sailing if you're booked into a blanked week. That's CargoDuo's working buffer, based on Sea-Intelligence's 56.4% schedule reliability for July and Drewry's count of 79 East–West sailings cancelled from 14 September to 18 October. Quote Cape transit times until Suez routing is confirmed before departure.
Is it too late to book Q4 2026 shipping space?
You can still book, but blank sailings cluster around China's holidays on 25 to 27 September and 1 to 7 October 2026. Drewry counts 11% of East–West sailings cancelled between 14 September and 18 October. Get China-origin cargo to the terminal before 24 September, and request reefer, out-of-gauge and project equipment when you book.
Which shipping and customs rules change before the end of 2026?
Shipping companies surrender EU ETS allowances for 70% of 2025 emissions by 30 September. The CBAM Q3 certificate price is due on 5 October, and product identifiers become mandatory in EU low-value e-commerce declarations on 1 November. The US suspension of Section 301 port fees ends on 9 November unless extended, and EUDR applies to large and medium operators from 30 December 2026.
Sources: Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd (14 September 2026); Maersk (11 September and 27 February); World Cargo News (27 August); Container News (15 September); Linerlytica (14 September); Sea-Intelligence (26 August) and its data in The Loadstar (14 September); Xeneta (9 September); Lloyd's List Intelligence (9 September); gCaptain (27 February); Drewry World Container Index (10 September) and Cancelled Sailings Tracker (11 September); WorldACD (7 and 14 September); Kuehne+Nagel port bulletin (2 to 8 September); ELWIS (15 September) and BfG (14 September); Portcast (6 to 12 September); Panama Canal Authority (4 September); European Commission; USTR; MOFCOM and GAC Announcement No. 70 (7 November 2025); China's State Council (4 November 2025). Four-week WCI changes are CargoDuo calculations from Drewry's 13 August and 10 September prints. Updated: 15 September 2026. Changelog: 15 September 2026, first edition. If a date or figure here has moved, tell us and we will correct it.