The global container shipping market remained stable this week, with the Drewry World Container Index steady at $1,852 per 40-foot container. But amid this calm, the main trade corridors are moving in opposite directions.
Read also: Container shipping rates fall after the holidays, but Red Sea risks still worry the industry
Spot prices across the Pacific fell for the second week in a row. Fares from Shanghai to New York fell 10% to $2,922, while fares from Shanghai to Los Angeles fell 7% to $2,172. As the number of empty ships declines next week, more capacity will return to the market, putting further pressure on already low prices.
Drury expects interest rates across the Pacific “to ease slightly next week” as supply outpaces demand.
At the same time, the Asia-Europe Corridor continues to strengthen. Prices from Shanghai to Genoa rose 6% to $2,319, and from Shanghai to Rotterdam rose 8% to $2,193, marking the sixth straight week of gains. Carriers are also offering higher rates for Freight of All Kinds (FAK) — between $3,100 and $4,000 per 40-foot container — effective December 1.
Analysts say airlines are moving to raise spot prices before annual contract negotiations begin. But this strategy may lose momentum in the coming months.
Drori’s latest forecasts indicate that the balance of global supply and demand will weaken during the coming quarters, especially if normal operations in the Suez Canal resume. Reopening could change traffic patterns and put broader downward pressure on freight rates.
For now, the market’s stability masks a sharp regional divide: trans-Pacific trade is showing signs of excess capacity, while Asia and Europe remain tense as carriers control their capacity.
