The container shipping crisis during COVID-19 disruption: consequences and lessons learned from news analysis

By conducting a thematic analysis of 100 news articles on the container shipping crisis during COVID-19, this study explores the contributing factors and the consequences of the container shipping crisis. Based on the findings, this study develops a dynamic, cross-domain conceptual framework that traces how two clusters of disruptions, namely, shipping disruptions (port, global container movement, freight-cost) and economic disruptions (supply, production, demand, COVID-19 related), manifest across three key domains: port and freight operations, supply chain and production, and consumer market. For each domain, we link early-stage consequences to its later-stage impact, highlighting both adaptive positive strategies and enduring negative influences. This study contributes to shipping crisis management literature and offers practical implications for both immediate operational innovation and long-term strategic resilience.