Container Imbalance

Container imbalance is a situation that occurs when there is a cargo surplus and a shortage or inadequate containers to ship it.

When there is an imbalance between container demand and supply, a shortage will arise, causing container imbalance. This also attracts other costs called container imbalance charges (CIC). Container pile-ups in warehouses or ports may cause this shortage. The pile-ups are usually due to slow clearance processes or an influx of deliveries. Port and shipment delays are the primary causes of container imbalance. Also, the loading and unloading process will be delayed if the container contents are too heavy.