Why do shipping lines move empty containers?

Because trade is unbalanced. In 2024, 23.8 million TEU crossed the Pacific eastbound against 6.4 million westbound, so lines must send empties back to Asia, where exporters need them.

What is an equipment imbalance surcharge?

A carrier charge to cover repositioning empties. CMA CGM charged USD 200 per container from Europe to North America from 1 March 2021, and EUR 275 per 20 ft from Turkey to Spain from 24 May 2024.

How many containers leave US ports empty?

At the Port of Los Angeles in 2025, 3.49 million of the 4.92 million TEU exported were empty — about 71%.

Term

Empty container repositioning

Empty container repositioning is a shipping line moving empty boxes from where imports pile up to where exporters need them, because trade is unbalanced. In 2024, 23.8 million TEU sailed east across the Pacific against 6.4 million west, says UNCTAD, and carriers recover the cost through imbalance surcharges such as CMA CGM's USD 200 a container.

Also called empty repositioning, equipment imbalance, equipment imbalance surcharge, container imbalanceUpdated 14 October 2026

Why boxes travel empty

Route, 2024	Heavy direction	Return direction
Trans-Pacific	East Asia → North America: 23.8 million TEU	6.4 million TEU
Asia–Europe	East Asia → Europe: 18.3 million TEU	6.3 million TEU
Transatlantic	Europe → North America: 5.2 million TEU	2.6 million TEU

UNCTAD's Review of Maritime Transport 2025, Table I.3. Every box that arrives full on the heavy leg and has no cargo for the return goes back empty, or waits in a yard until it is needed.

Who pays

The line pays to move the empties and charges it back on the leg that needs the boxes. CMA CGM added an equipment imbalance surcharge of USD 200 per container from 1 March 2021 on cargo from North Europe and the Mediterranean to the US, Canada and Mexico, citing a growing imbalance and additional repositioning costs. From 24 May 2024 it charged EUR 275 per 20 ft and EUR 350 per 40 ft from Turkey to Spain's Mediterranean ports.

Worked example: Los Angeles exports, 2025

Export TEU 4,918,812 · of which empty 3,489,552 · 3,489,552 ÷ 4,918,812 = 71% of the TEU leaving the port were empty

Port of Los Angeles container statistics, calendar year 2025: 1,429,260 loaded export TEU against 5,316,713 loaded import TEU.

The mistake people make

Treating equipment as a given. Where imports dominate, empties pile up — the FMC found the 2020–2022 congestion was further exacerbated by empty containers. Where exports dominate, the line brings boxes in and adds an imbalance surcharge by notice, valid until further notice, so check for it on every quote on the heavy leg.

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