With no end in sight to the Red Sea crisis, it is highly likely that Asia-Europe vessels will continue to divert around the Cape of Good Hope, posing a new challenge for European importers and their logistics providers: when is the final cut-off date for Christmas goods leaving Asia?

Put it another way – industry talk over the past two months has largely centred around the causes of surging spot rate levels, and one question at the heart of the phenomenon has been whether we are seeing an early peak season. If it is the case, as many European forwarders claim, when will it end?

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