NCFI: Freight Rates Ease Sharply to Europe Amid Capacity Recovery

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The Ningbo Containerised Freight Index (NCFI), compiled weekly by the Ningbo Shipping Exchange and published by the Baltic Exchange, offers a snapshot of container shipping rates from Ningbo to key global destinations. Updated every Friday at 16:00 Beijing time, the index includes 20ft, 40ft, and Hi-Cube container rates, factoring in various surcharges like bunker, war risk, and canal fees—but notably excluding terminal handling, customs, and inland logistics costs.

For the week ending June 6, 2025, the composite index reflected a broad easing in freight rates:

Route This Week (USD/TEU) Change (%)
Ningbo – Europe  1,248.03  -10.43%
Ningbo – West Med  1,915.07  -2.79%
Ningbo – East Med  1,454.13  -5.35%
Ningbo – Middle East  832.34  -0.38%

Key observations

  • Sharp decline to Europe: The 10.4% drop to $1,248/TEU indicates easing congestion and expanded capacity on these long-haul lanes.
  • Moderate downtrend to Mediterranean: Smaller drops of 2.8% and 5.4% suggest still-tight markets but showing signs of relief .
  • Stable flow to Middle East: The slight 0.4% drop reflects a balanced mix of capacity and demand.

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Source: Baltic Exchange