During the second quarter of 2025, all-in freight rates for shipments from the Far East to most global destinations saw a general decline compared to the same period in the previous year. The only exception was the Australasia trade lane, which experienced consistent monthly growth throughout the quarter.
Freight Rates from the Far East
For all other routes, the rate decline worsened with each passing month, with May performing worse than April, and June showing the steepest drops. Latin America saw the most significant rate contraction at an average of 30%, while Europe and the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent were close behind with average declines of around 25%.
Freight Rates to the Far East
The trend of declining rates was even more uniform for shipments heading to the Far East. Every intercontinental trade route and every month in Q2 2025 saw rates that were lower than those in 2024. The routes from Latin America and the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent experienced more moderate contractions, averaging a 5% decline. In contrast, European import rates to the Far East suffered a severe drop, with a 35% average decline over the three months.
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Source: Container News
