Schedule Reliability: The Collapse and Partial Recovery
Global container shipping on-time performance, 2024–2026 | Procurement Spectrum, April 2026
62.4%
Global schedule reliability at the start of 2026
Still below pre-crisis levels of 70%+
78.1%
Maersk
Most reliable top-13 carrier in Nov 2025
64.1%
Industry average
November 2025, up from 50% trough
Two years of disruption have not just delayed cargo — they have structurally lowered the reliability shippers can expect. The gap between 62% and the pre-crisis 70%+ benchmark represents real working capital tied up in buffer inventory.