- Carriers have withdrawn 8% of scheduled sailings between weeks 41–45, with Transpacific eastbound routes most affected.
- Container freight rates continue to decline, with Drewry’s World Container Index dropping 5% week-on-week.
- New U.S. port fees on Chinese carriers and vessels are set to escalate costs and heighten trade tensions.
For the period covering weeks 41 (6–12 October) through week 45 (3–9 November), carriers have announced the withdrawal of 57 sailings out of 715 scheduled, representing an 8% reduction. Transpacific eastbound services account for the majority of cancellations at 51%, followed by Asia–Europe and Mediterranean routes at 32% and Transatlantic westbound services at 18%. Despite these cancellations, 92% of scheduled departures are still expected to proceed as planned.
Freight Rate Developments
Freight rates remain under pressure across major East–West trades. Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) recorded a further 5% week-on-week decline on 2 October, falling to $1,669 per 40ft container. Asia–Europe and Mediterranean rates dropped 8%, Transpacific fell 3%, and Transatlantic slipped 1%. This continued weakness reflects both soft demand and the growing impact of blank sailings on market stability.
New Regulatory Pressures
Adding to industry concerns, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced new port fees on Chinese carriers and China-built vessels, effective 14 October. The measure is projected to add approximately $1.6 billion annually in costs across the Transpacific and Transatlantic trades. COSCO and OOCL face the greatest financial exposure, while Beijing has signaled potential retaliatory measures against U.S. carriers, raising the risk of further disruption to global shipping flows.
Advisory for Shippers
With blank sailings, declining freight rates, and escalating regulatory measures creating a volatile environment, shippers are advised to secure vessel capacity early, remain flexible in routing choices, and closely track policy developments. The final quarter of the year is expected to bring heightened uncertainty across key trade lanes, with both carriers and shippers facing mounting cost and capacity challenges.
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Source: Drewry
