Dimerco Report: AI and Semiconductor Demand Tightens Asia Airfreight Capacity

Dimerco Express Group’s August 2026 Asia Pacific Freight Report shows a market split between strong AI and semiconductor shipments and weaker consumer and e‑commerce volumes. Air‑freight capacity is tight across Taiwan, South Korea and parts of Southeast Asia, with load factors on Asia‑US lanes reaching about 90 % and rates rising on all major corridors.

Kathy Liu, VP of Global Sales and Marketing at Dimerco, said, “What we’re seeing is a market split in two. AI demand out of Taiwan just keeps climbing, while the e‑commerce base that carried Europe is gone.” Greater China presents a softer picture, with north‑China and Hong Kong‑US lanes softening while south‑China retains ample capacity. Ocean rates from China to the US are easing, but fuel, canal and disruption surcharges keep overall shipping costs high. Southeast Asia enters peak season with uneven capacity: Thailand remains one of the tightest markets, Singapore faces backlogs to Europe, and Malaysia and India also see rising pressure on Asia‑bound lanes.