- Shanghai–LA Freight Rates Soar 117 Per cent in Four Weeks.
- Transpacific Volumes Recover After Trump’s Tariff Pause.
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Drewry Warns of Rate Decline in Second Half of 2025.
This week, Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) saw a dramatic rise of 41%, hitting $3,527 for a 40ft container. In fact, over the last four weeks, the WCI has skyrocketed by 70%, largely due to shifts in US import policies, reports Drewry.
Impact of US Import Tariffs on Freight Rates
The recent pause on import tariffs announced by former President Donald Trump has sparked a resurgence in US-bound shipping volumes, bouncing back from a previous slump in trans-Pacific traffic. This change led to a staggering 57% increase in freight rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles in just one week, bringing the cost to $5,876 for a 40ft container. Over the past month, rates on this route have more than doubled, soaring by 117%.
In a similar vein, spot rates for shipments from Shanghai to New York jumped by 39% in the last week and have risen 96% over the past month.
Rising Freight Rates in Europe
European shipping routes are also feeling the heat, with freight charges from Shanghai to Rotterdam and Genoa climbing by 32% and 38%, respectively, just within the past week.
Market Trends and Forecast
This sudden uptick in the global container shipping supply-demand balance has reversed the earlier trend of falling rates that we’ve seen since January 2025.
However, Drewry’s Container Forecaster predicts that the supply-demand balance may weaken again in the latter half of the year, potentially leading to a drop in spot freight rates. The timing and volatility of these changes will largely hinge on the outcomes of legal challenges to the US tariffs and adjustments in shipping capacity due to new US penalties on Chinese vessels, both of which remain uncertain.
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Source: Drewry
