Normal container movements will not resume until after the Chinese New Year in 2022, according to CMA CGM chief executive Rodolphe Saade.

The head of the French liner company made the comments as congestion in southern China started to impact on shipments into the European ports of Rotterdam and Hamburg.

Speaking at the virtual meeting of the IAPH World Ports Conference, Saade said the situation affecting container shipping would not be normalised before the next Lunar New Year, which falls on 1 February 2022.