Container shipping’s shift away from Asia’s largest transhipment hubs is accelerating, with carriers permanently restructuring their networks to route cargo through smaller regional ports, directly impacting transit times, transhipment costs, and service availability for freight forwarders and shippers dependent on mega-hubs like Singapore, Port Klang, and Tanjung Pelepas.
According to analysis by Sea-Intelligence of the latest UNCTAD Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (PLSCI), what began as crisis-driven network adjustments during the Red Sea disruption has evolved into a permanent restructuring of liner networks. Rather than concentrating services around mega-hubs such as Singapore, Port Klang, and Tanjung Pelepas, carriers are increasingly routing cargo through secondary relay ports and export gateways closer to manufacturing centres.
“The 2026-Q2 PLSCI data underscores a definitive network recalibration,” Sea-Intelligence said. “Shipping lines are seemingly moving beyond initial crisis management into active network decentralization.”
Connectivity Declines at Mega Hubs
The shift is evident across Asia and the Middle East. Singapore’s connectivity index has slipped from a peak of 1,876.95 in Q4 2025 to 1,833.94 in the latest quarter. Malaysia’s two largest transhipment hubs have experienced sharper declines, with Port Klang down 5% from its recent peak and Tanjung Pelepas falling more than 7%. Even China’s largest gateways — Shanghai and Ningbo — recorded quarter-on-quarter declines.
| Port | Connectivity Change |
|---|---|
| Singapore | Peak 1,876.95 (Q4 2025) → 1,833.94 (Q2 2026) |
| Port Klang | Down 5% from peak |
| Tanjung Pelepas | Down >7% from peak |
| Shanghai | Quarter-on-quarter decline |
| Ningbo | Quarter-on-quarter decline |
Winners: Secondary Ports
Haiphong in Vietnam has emerged as one of the biggest winners, with connectivity climbing to 690.29 in Q2, including a 5.1% increase over the previous quarter. Sea-Intelligence argues the Vietnamese port is benefiting directly from China+1 manufacturing strategies and its close integration with southern Chinese supply chains. Other gainers include Laem Chabang in Thailand, Pipavav, Ennore, and Visakhapatnam in India, and Djibouti in East Africa.
Middle East Reconfiguration
In the Middle East, the prolonged Red Sea crisis has reduced reliance on traditional hubs. Jeddah recorded a 14.9% quarter-on-quarter jump in connectivity, while Khor Fakkan posted a remarkable 189% increase. Fujairah, previously absent from the container connectivity rankings, has reappeared as carriers experiment with alternative relay options.
Implications for Shippers and Operators
Sea-Intelligence argued that these changes are no longer temporary responses to geopolitical disruption. “As primary transhipment nodes hit connectivity ceilings, shipping lines are actively shedding excess capacity at mega-hubs in favour of secondary regional relays and specific gateways that directly support cross-border supply chain diversification,” the consultancy said. For decades, container shipping sought economies of scale by concentrating cargo through a handful of giant hubs. The latest data suggests that strategy is being quietly reversed, with resilience, flexibility, and proximity to manufacturing increasingly taking precedence over pure scale.
Watch List
- Further decentralization as carriers continue to adjust networks.
- Growth of Chinese-linked secondary ports like Haiphong as China+1 strategies solidify.
- Potential capacity constraints at rising hubs (Jeddah, Khor Fakkan) as volumes shift.
- Impact on freight rates as transhipment patterns change.
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