Ocean Freight Rates Sustain Upward Momentum Driven by Year-End Demand

Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) recorded its fourth consecutive weekly gain, inching up 1% to $2,213/FEU, driven by strong year-end demand on the Asia-Europe and Transpacific lanes.

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Global container freight rates rose 1% this week, reaching $2,213 per 40-foot container (FEU). This marks the fourth consecutive week of growth, signaling that carriers are successfully capitalizing on sustained demand across major trade lanes as we enter the new year.

Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) has now logged four straight weeks of gains, primarily fueled by rate increases on two vital trade arteries: the Transpacific and Asia-Europe. This growth momentum represents a continuation of the recovery that began in early December - a time when rates had touched their second-lowest level since January 2025.

Asia-Europe: The Primary Growth Engine

Asia-Europe shipping routes demonstrated exceptional strength this week. Specifically:

• Spot rates from Shanghai to Genoa rose 3%, reaching $3,427/FEU.

• Rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam increased 2%, hitting $2,584/FEU.

This trade lane has now maintained stable or rising rates for four consecutive weeks.

Explaining this phenomenon, maritime consultancy Drewry noted: “Over the last three years, Drewry has recorded a double-digit MoM demand growth in December, establishing strong year-end volumes as the ‘new normal’.”

The resilient strength on Asia-Europe routes reflects a fundamental shift in seasonal patterns, with December volumes proving far more robust than traditional holiday shipping cycles would suggest. Carriers are already recording early bookings ahead of the Lunar New Year in February 2026, positioning the market for potential further rate hikes in the coming weeks.

Transpacific: Stability Following a Surge

Transpacific lanes showed greater stability this week after recording double-digit gains in the previous period. Spot rates from Shanghai to New York and Shanghai to Los Angeles remained flat following last week's strong recovery.

• Shanghai - New York rates currently stand at $3,293/container.

• Shanghai - Los Angeles rates are at $2,474/container.

Drewry expects Transpacific rates to remain stable in the short term, while forecasting that Asia-Europe routes will continue to edge up as pre-Lunar New Year cargo gradually accumulates.

A Dramatic Market Reversal

The current rate environment stands in stark contrast to conditions just two weeks ago, when carriers struggled with what industry analysts described as a "fundamental volume problem" after most Christmas inventory had been shipped in November. At that time, increasing blank sailings - canceling voyages to support rates by cutting capacity - had failed to arrest the decline.

This rapid reversal highlights the volatility that continues to characterize the container shipping market as the industry navigates shifting seasonal patterns, capacity management challenges, and ongoing geopolitical disruptions affecting major maritime routes.

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