The latest Xeneta weekly update reveals a complex shift in container shipping rates across key trade lanes. From the Far East to U.S. coasts, average spot rates remain relatively steady compared to earlier in the year, but intriguing divergences are unfolding across regions.
Transpacific Trades: Rate Pressure, But a Flash of Steam Among Premium Shippers
- Far East → U.S. West Coast: The market average spot rate stands at USD 2,010 per FEU, with the higher-end (“mid-high”) segment climbing by 29.2% to reach USD 2,414. In contrast, the lower-tier (“mid-low”) segment edged up only 2.2% to USD 1,650.
- Far East → U.S. East Coast: Average rate is USD 2,976, with “mid-high” rising 15.2% to USD 3,398, and “mid-low” showing a modest 0.5% increase to USD 2,564.
These discrepancies suggest that while premium shippers are absorbing higher costs to keep goods moving, volume-focused operators maintain cost discipline. Xeneta’s chief analyst, Peter Sand, highlights this divergence, noting that the pricing surge is concentrated at the upper tiers, leaving large-volume shippers largely unaffected.
Europe and Mediterranean Routes: Slower Descent, But Significant Gaps Emerge
- Far East → North Europe: Rates slide more sharply here—down 8.5% week-over-week.
Xeneta - Far East → Mediterranean: A more moderate decline of 4.2% in the same period.
Xeneta - Monthly Figures: Over the past month, Mediterranean rates fell 11.3%, while North Europe rates plunged 25.7%.
These trends indicate outsize rate pressure in North Europe compared to the Mediterranean, where demand remains comparatively more buoyant.
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Source: Xeneta
