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RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index: The impact of the war in Iran is growing

Press release from the

Global container throughput fell again in April. The ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is exacerbating the strain on world trade. Supply chains are coming under increasing pressure, transport costs are rising, and key port regions are losing momentum.

Container throughput at international ports fell again in April 2026. Following a sharp decline in March, the Container Throughput Index – calculated by the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute for Maritime Economics and Logistics (ISL) – fell by 1 point from 142.2 (revised) to 141.2 index points. The noticeable upturn in container throughput at the start of the year has now been reversed. 

Slowdown in key port regions 

The decline in container throughput at Chinese ports is particularly marked: following a sharp fall the previous month, the relevant index dropped again from a revised 161.0 points in March to 158.5 points in April. Disruptions to supply chains caused by the war in Iran and falling demand are likely to have contributed significantly to this decline.

The impact of the war in Iran is also being felt in northern European ports. The Nordrange Index, which is regarded as a leading indicator of economic development in the northern eurozone, particularly in Germany, fell from 120.0 points (revised) to 118.5 points. 

End to growth increasingly likely

Commenting on the trend in the container throughput index, RWI Chief Economist Torsten Schmidt said: “With the renewed decline in the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index, there are growing signs in Germany that the economic slump of recent years is set to continue. Handling volumes in northern European ports remain weak and there is no sign of a turnaround. This makes it all the more important to steer the German economy back onto a growth path through decisive reforms and to make us more resilient to external shocks such as the war in Iran.”

About the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index:

The RWI/ISL Container Handling Index for May 2026 will be published on 29 June 2026.

The index incorporates data on container throughput at 90 international ports, which account for around 64 per cent of global container throughput, collected on an ongoing basis as part of the ISL Monthly Container Port Monitor. The current flash estimate for the Container Throughput Index is based on data covering 85 per cent of the throughput represented in the index. As international trade is primarily conducted by sea, container throughput provides reliable insights into global trade. Because many ports report their activities just two weeks after the end of a month, the RWI/ISL Container Throughput Index is a reliable leading indicator of trends in international trade in manufactured goods and, consequently, of global economic activity. The Container Throuput Index forms part of the foreign trade statistics in the Federal Statistical Office’s “Dashboard Deutschland”. It is also used by many international bodies, such as UNCTAD, and is included in the “Shipping/Port Data” section of the WTO’s Global Trade Data Portal.

Data series for individual ports are available in the ISL Monthly Container Port MonitorFurther background information on the RWI/ISL Container Throuput Index can be found at www.rwi-essen.de/containerindex.

Your contacts for this matter:

Prof. Dr. Torsten Schmidt, Tel.: (0201) 8149-287, torsten.schmidt@rwi-essen.de

Alexander Bartel (Communication), Tel.: (0201) 8149-354, alexander.bartel@rwi-essen.de 

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