- Ninth consecutive weekly decline in global container freight rates.
- Tariff-driven volatility easing after sharp swings in May–July 2025.
- Shanghai–Los Angeles spot rates down 2% to USD 2,494 per FEU.
Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) took a dip of 3%, landing at USD 2,350 for a 40-ft container in the week ending August 14, 2025, reports Drewry.
Market Overview
This marks the ninth week in a row that the WCI has dropped. After a period of ups and downs sparked by U.S. tariff announcements back in April, the index has been slowly stabilising. Those announcements initially sent freight rates soaring from May to early June, but then we saw a sharp decline through mid-July. Thankfully, the rate of decline has significantly slowed down since then.
Regional Spot Rates
Transpacific spot rates also saw a decrease this week. The route from Shanghai to Los Angeles dropped about 2%, with freight now averaging USD 2,494 per FEU. Meanwhile, the Shanghai to New York route fell by roughly 5%, now sitting at USD 3,638 per FEU. Drewry notes that as the rush to ship ahead of tariffs calms down, we might see less volatility in spot rates soon.
Future Outlook
According to Drewry’s Container Forecaster, the balance between supply and demand is expected to weaken in the latter half of 2025, which could put downward pressure on spot rates. Future changes will largely depend on what happens with U.S. tariff policies and any regulatory shifts that impact Chinese vessel capacity.
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Source: Drewry
