Store Shelves Half-Empty: China

As the New Year and Christmas holidays approach, there are congestion issues at Chinese ports.

Shipping rates for maritime freight have increased two and a half times over the year, and transporters are struggling to manage the flow of trade.

To ensure that expensive product batches have time to reach store shelves, they are being shipped by air. Air freight rates are reaching record highs.

"In Russia, air freight rates are steadily rising, and the tariffs are now 'ballistic'," explains Boris Ribak, Executive Director of the consulting company Infomost. "Maritime transport has nearly failed, there are few containers, urgent cargoes are in higher demand, and it's clear that everyone wants their packages delivered by New Year, not by the May holidays," he noted.