At least for the time being, the recent spike in container freight costs between Asia and North Europe seems to have levelled off, as spot rates across many important indices are beginning to decline. The Shanghai–Rotterdam route saw a 2% weekly drop-in rates, according to Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI), which ended a six-week upward trend at $3,384 per 40-foot container. The SCFI and Xeneta’s XSI both remained stable at $3,996 per 40 feet, but other indices showed a more varied picture. With a notable 14% increase, Freightos’ FBX brought its Asia–North Europe rate to $3,522.
While rates on the Asia–North Europe route have temporarily levelled out, prices on the Asia–Asia-Mediterranean trade have dropped sharply. Drewry’s WCI shows a 7% weekly decline on the Shanghai–Genoa leg, down to $3,491 per 40ft. Some forwarders report that Mediterranean rates have now dipped below North Europe levels for the first time in years.
Meanwhile, rates for Asia–North America trades continued their downward trend, though declines were less severe than in recent weeks. The WCI shows the Shanghai–Los Angeles route down 8% to $2,931 per 40ft, while Shanghai–New York fell 5% to $4,839.
Sand noted that tariff uncertainty is skewing market behavior, particularly on trans-Pacific routes. “Geopolitical shifts have scrambled the usual freight rate patterns,” he said. Spot rates into the U.S. West Coast have dropped 51% in just over a month. With a pullback in front-loading and new tariffs looming, Sand predicts U.S. East Coast rates will soon fall faster than West Coast rates, possibly narrowing the price gap to within $1,000 by the end of July.
The transatlantic market gave up its recent gains. Spot rates on the Rotterdam–New York route dropped 6% to $1,990 per 40ft, returning to levels seen two weeks ago. The current outlook reflects a container market in flux, where congestion, shifting capacity, and geopolitical pressures continue to challenge predictability across global shipping lanes.
