International Shipping and Logistics Market Update Week 35/2026 | Phaata

International shipping and logistics market update - Week 35/2026

Table of Contents

1. World Container Index Week 35/2026

2. Asia - North America Ocean Freight Rates

3. Asia - Europe Ocean Freight Rates

4. Northern America - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

5. Northern Europe - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

6. Conclusions and Recommendations by Phaata

1. World Container Index Week 35/2026

Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) for Week 35/2026 (from August 24 to August 30, 2026) decreased by 1.17% compared to the previous week, dropping to $4,473/FEU.

Drewry's World Container Index Week 35/2026 (Photo: Phaata)

2. Asia-North America Ocean Freight Rates

Supply and Demand:

Capacity Coordination & Congestion Pressure: Currently, carriers continue to operate at near-maximum capacity across the trade lane. The blank sailing ratio remains under 1% this week and is projected to stay low throughout September. Capacity cuts will only increase slightly to roughly 6% during the week commencing September 28, in preparation for the Golden Week holiday in China. This indicates that actual capacity supply is currently constrained more by port congestion than by blank sailings. Ongoing operational disruptions in East Asia continue to impact space allocation and schedule reliability, particularly at the Shanghai, Ningbo, and Zhoushan port clusters.

Solid Demand Baseline: Import demand in the North American market remains relatively stable. Actual data shows the Port of Long Beach recorded its second-busiest July in history. Meanwhile, total throughput at the Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) port complex remained elevated as August commenced.

Panama Canal Operational Limits: The Panama Canal Authority will reduce the number of daily authorized transits starting September 3, with further reductions planned for September 15. Shipments bound for the U.S. East Coast (USEC) or the U.S. Gulf via the Panama Canal may face extended wait times without advance booking confirmations, thereby inflating transit times and transport costs. To reduce reliance on the canal, some carriers are testing the Cape of Good Hope routing on select sailings. While this alternative extends transit times, it helps mitigate the risk of prolonged delays at the Panama Canal.

Rate Developments:

Ocean freight rates from Asia to the North America West Coast in Week 35/2026 increased by 0.75% week-on-week, reaching $7,295/FEU. This rate is up 20.78% month-on-month, according to Xeneta data.

East Coast Rates Continue to Climb: Spot rates on the Asia - U.S. East Coast route continued to rise this week, outpacing the growth rate of West Coast-bound cargo. Operational constraints at the Panama Canal helped push the rate baseline across the entire North American trade lane to a 4-year high on August 19, while simultaneously widening the rate gap between the East and West Coasts.

Stay tuned to Phaata International Logistics Marketplace for in-depth and fast market updates.

Asia-North America Freight Rates | Week 35/2026 (Photo: Phaata.com)

US Tariff Updates:

1. Section 338 Tariffs on Canada: CBP Adjusts Enforcement Guidelines

Technical Corrections: U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) initial enforcement guidance regarding Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods required certain adjustments. Specifically, the Chapter 99 code range related to refund provisions was cited incorrectly.

Tariff Stacking Adjustments: The initial document also contained an inaccurate reference regarding the stacking order with Section 122 tariffs, a tax that is no longer in effect. Although CBP swiftly issued a correction, customs brokers and importers should thoroughly review their declaration files to minimize clearance complications.

2. Canada Implements Retaliatory Measures on September 8

Applicable Scope: In response to the 50% U.S. Section 338 tariff, Canada will impose reciprocal tariff measures on approximately $20 billion worth of U.S. imports, covering 874 tariff lines.

Tariff Tiers: Effective September 8, 2026, U.S.-origin steel and aluminum products will face tariffs of up to 50%. Additionally, commodity groups such as dairy products, home appliances, agricultural machinery, pulp, paper, and electronics will incur supplemental tariffs of 15%, 25%, or 50%, depending on the specific product category.

Landed Cost Risk Management: Given the prospect of escalating tariff costs in bilateral trade, businesses engaged in U.S.-Canada import/export activities must promptly review their landed cost structures and evaluate the impact on selling prices and cash flow projections before the new measures take effect.

3. IEEPA Refunds: Claim Values Exceed $130 Billion Amid CAPE Expansion Delays

Claim Scale: As of August 21, CBP’s Centralized Account Processing and Management Environment (CAPE) system had received files with a total value of approximately $132.5 billion, described in legal documents as certified and potential refunds.

Expansion Timeline Undetermined: Phase 3 of the CAPE system, designed to expand the scope of eligible refund recipients, still lacks a confirmed rollout date. A critical legal question currently centers on whether finally liquidated entries automatically qualify for a refund without requiring businesses to file independent litigation.

4. CBP Standardizes Electronic Export Manifests for Rail

Declaration Standard Updates: CBP has finalized management requirements for rail transport operations. Consequently, export manifest data for trains departing U.S. territory must be transmitted electronically via the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. The new regulation also adds a mandatory data field to the declaration structure, further standardizing the electronic data interchange process in export operations.

Stay tuned to articles on the Phaata International Logistics Marketplace for rapid and in-depth market updates.

3. Asia-Europe Ocean Freight Rates

Supply and Demand: 

Capacity Coordination Ahead of Golden Week: Carriers are maintaining high operational capacity, with the blank sailing ratio remaining exceptionally low in the current forecast period. The planned cancellation of select sailings on the Asia-Europe and Asia-Mediterranean routes during China's Golden Week in early October is viewed as a calculated capacity adjustment ahead of a seasonal demand slump, rather than an indicator of widespread supply contraction.

Cooling Demand & Origin Port Risks: Demand in the European market remains relatively weak, signaling that the peak season cycle is winding down earlier than usual. Against this backdrop, schedule risks at origin ports are trending upward due to adverse weather and congestion in certain East Asian hubs.

Strike Risks at German Ports: Labor negotiations between unions and employers in Hamburg continued this week without reaching a final agreement, following a 24-hour warning strike across six ports last week. Shippers should prepare contingency plans for potential additional delays at Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Wilhelmshaven.

Divergence in Suez Canal Routing: Maritime operations via the Red Sea are witnessing divergent strategies among carriers and alliances. MSC, the Gemini Cooperation, and the Ocean Alliance have begun selectively reinstating certain sailings via the Suez Canal. Meanwhile, the Premier Alliance has yet to execute any large-scale rerouting initiatives.

Freight Rate Developments: 

Ocean freight rates from Asia to Europe in Week 35/2026 decreased by 1.85% week-on-week, settling at $4,607/FEU. This rate is down 11.04% month-on-month, according to Xeneta data.

Baseline Continues to Correct: Spot rates across the route have dropped approximately 20% from the peak established in July. However, compared to the rate baseline observed during the spring, current rates are still roughly 60% higher, indicating that transport costs on this lane remain relatively elevated.

Stay tuned to Phaata International Logistics Marketplace for in-depth and fast market updates.

Asia-Europe Freight Rates | Week 35/2026 (Photo: Phaata.com)

4. North America - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

Ocean freight rates from North America (West Coast) to Asia in Week 35/2026 increased by 2.65% week-on-week, reaching $696/FEU. This rate is up 8.07% month-on-month, according to Xeneta data.

North America (West Coast) - Asia freight rates | Week 35/2026 (Photo: Phaata.com)

5. Northern Europe - Asia Ocean Freight Rates

Ocean freight rates from North Europe to Asia in Week 35/2026 increased by 0.74% week-on-week, settling at $273/FEU. This rate is up 0.37% month-on-month, per Xeneta data.

Container Freight rates from Northern Europe to Asia | Week 35/2026 (Photo: Phaata.com)

6. Conclusion and Recommendations from Phaata

The global logistics market in Week 35/2026 continues to display a stark divergence in rate baselines and operational conditions across key trade corridors. Although the composite WCI dipped slightly by 1.17% to $4,473/FEU, the market's risk center is gradually shifting away from capacity shortages toward operational bottlenecks at seaports and canals:

Trans-Pacific Route (Asia - North America): Congestion at the Shanghai, Ningbo, and Zhoushan port clusters, combined with the reduction of daily transit slots at the Panama Canal starting September 3, continues to constrain actual capacity supply. West Coast spot rates climbed to $7,295/FEU, and the rate gap between the two coasts continues to widen. Carriers also initiated General Rate Increases (GRIs) effective September 1.

Far East - West Europe Route: In stark contrast to North America, the European peak cycle is cooling early, dragging the rate baseline down to $4,607/FEU. Operational risks are currently concentrated on potential schedule delays at German ports like Hamburg and Bremerhaven, while the phased return of select carriers and alliances to the Suez Canal remains limited in scale.

North American Trade Compliance Environment: Trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada continue to escalate as Canada prepares to implement retaliatory tariff measures on approximately $20 billion in U.S. goods starting September 8, in response to Section 338 executive orders. Coupled with required technical corrections in CBP's declaration guidelines, these shifts mandate elevated tariff management and compliance scrutiny for businesses operating supply chains across both markets.

Recommendations from Phaata

Space Management Ahead of Golden Week: Carriers are expected to cut roughly 6% of operational capacity starting the week of September 28. Businesses must proactively finalize their bookings in the first half of September and incorporate a 7–10 day buffer into their timelines for shipments moving through Eastern China port clusters. This approach provides businesses with the necessary leeway to navigate the risks of congestion and cargo rollovers.

Optimizing Routing Strategies:

- North American Corridor: For USEC-bound cargo flows, shippers should concurrently evaluate alternatives such as the Cape of Good Hope routing or multimodal transport via U.S. West Coast ports combined with Inland Point Intermodal (IPI) rail, depending on time and cost parameters. Diversifying routing options will mitigate reliance on the Panama Canal during periods of restricted operational capacity.

- European Corridor: The resumption of Red Sea services by certain carriers can be leveraged as an alternative to shorten transit times. However, businesses should maintain contingency routing plans until the strike situation within the German seaport system fully stabilizes.

Compliance & Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) Risk Control:

- U.S. Market: Documentation departments must audit Chapter 99 HS codes on relevant import entries and apply CBP’s corrected guidelines to prevent declaration and clearance errors.

- Canadian Market: For bilateral U.S.-Canada supply chains, finance departments must update landed cost models to factor in supplemental tariff scenarios ranging from 15% to 50%. Finalizing these preparations before the September 8 deadline will empower businesses to proactively adjust selling prices, cash flow plans, and profit margins.

Stay tuned to articles on Phaata.com or Phaata fanpage for rapid and in-depth market updates.

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See more:

• Port Strike in the Netherlands on September 4: Rotterdam Could Face Nearly Eight Hours of Disrupted Vessel Handling
• COSCO schedules: Vietnam - North America in Sep 2026
• SITC updates Vietnam-Intra Asia sailing schedules in Sep 2026
• Global Container Port Queue Hits 4.3 Million TEU, Surpassing 2022 COVID Peak
• Panama Canal to Cut Daily Transits to 32 from September; Four Carriers Yet to Adjust Published Surcharges
• International Shipping and Logistics Market Update Week 34/2026 | Phaata
• Shipping Lines Gradually Resume Suez Canal Services as Traffic Reaches Highest Level Since Early 2024
• COSCO and OOCL Increase Capacity on the Mediterranean–West Africa MWAX Service
• EUA Prices Hover Around EUR 82/Tonne in Mid-August: A Key Indicator to Watch for Q4/2026 ETS/FuelEU Surcharges
• COSCO and OOCL Increase Capacity on the Mediterranean–West Africa MWAX Service

Source: Phaata -  Where Shippers & Logistics Providers Connect

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