Entering the early days of 2026, the container shipping market witnessed a wave of adjustments to service networks from many major shipping lines such as COSCO, CMA CGM, and HMM. The main goal of these lines is not to open new routes, but to streamline the network – optimize turnaround times – and stabilize vessel schedules, clearly reflecting the strategic shift of shipping lines in the context of a rebalancing market.
📌 The general trend among shipping companies is:
Reduce the number of inefficient calling ports.
Adjust the loop to match the actual flow of goods.
Prioritize schedule stability, reduce delays, and minimize operational risks.
This is a step towards restructuring operations, rather than expanding at all costs as in the previous phase.
📌 Both Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City/Cai Mep continue to appear on intra-Asia routes and inter-regional and intercontinental routes. This shows that Vietnam is not being withdrawn from the network; on the contrary, it is being retained by shipping lines in core Asia-global routes.
📌 Some notable adjustments
🚢 CMA CGM & COSCO Shipping Lines
→ Upgrade the Far East – Caribbean route
→ Affirming Vietnam's role in intercontinental loops
🚢 COSCO Shipping Lines
→ Adjusting the JVC (Japan – China – Vietnam) route
→ A more streamlined and efficient network for intra-Asia routes.
🚢 HMM
→ Restructuring the Intra-Far East Network
→ Objective: Stabilize shipping schedules and closely monitor actual intra-Asia cargo flows.
The simultaneous restructuring of routes by shipping companies is not a signal of consolidation but rather a process of selecting strategic destinations. Vietnam's continued inclusion in key routes demonstrates its sufficiently stable and sustainable position in the regional supply chain for logistics.
Vietsun Corporation continuously updates route changes and vessel schedules to support businesses in proactively planning their logistics. Follow the Vietsun website to stay updated on the latest information about the domestic and global logistics market.
