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Freight rates keep rising, with the four major Europe and America routes still fluctuating.
Release time：
2026-05-13
Browsing：74次
After the May Day holiday, the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) posted a better-than-expected rise for two consecutive weeks.
As of May 8, the SCFI stood at 1,954.21 points, up 42.81 points week-on-week, a growth of 2.23%. Freight rates across the four major shipping routes — US West Coast, US East Coast, Europe and the Mediterranean — all moved higher.
The current rally is mainly driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Around 140 container ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf, affecting an estimated 500,000 TEUs of shipping capacity. Though accounting for only 1.5% of global capacity, the disruption has significantly boosted market bullish sentiment.
With the traditional peak shipping season approaching, liner carriers have proactively controlled container space and sailing frequencies, showing a much stronger willingness to shore up rates, pushing the market into a pre-price-hike phase.
Spot freight rates on the US West Coast, US East Coast and Europe routes remain steady for now. Carriers aim to implement rate increases in the second half of May, targeting $3,000 per FEU for the US West Coast and $4,000 per FEU for the US East Coast.
The subsequent trend of freight rates will hinge on export demand during the peak shipping period from late May to June. A recovery in cargo volume coupled with prolonged geopolitical tensions is expected to drive freight rates further upward.
Route-by-Route Freight Rate Changes - Far East to Europe: $1,596 per TEU, up $75 - Far East to Mediterranean: $2,463 per TEU, up $33 - Far East to US West Coast: $2,826 per FEU, up $104 - Far East to US East Coast: $3,812 per FEU, up $121 - Persian Gulf Route: $3,937 per TEU, down $14 - South America Route (Santos): $2,931 per TEU, up $389 - Australia & New Zealand Route: $1,167 per TEU, up $100 As for near-sea routes, the freight rate for Far East to South Korea (20ft TEU) rose by $13 week-on-week.
As of May 8, the SCFI stood at 1,954.21 points, up 42.81 points week-on-week, a growth of 2.23%. Freight rates across the four major shipping routes — US West Coast, US East Coast, Europe and the Mediterranean — all moved higher.
The current rally is mainly driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Around 140 container ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf, affecting an estimated 500,000 TEUs of shipping capacity. Though accounting for only 1.5% of global capacity, the disruption has significantly boosted market bullish sentiment.
With the traditional peak shipping season approaching, liner carriers have proactively controlled container space and sailing frequencies, showing a much stronger willingness to shore up rates, pushing the market into a pre-price-hike phase.
Spot freight rates on the US West Coast, US East Coast and Europe routes remain steady for now. Carriers aim to implement rate increases in the second half of May, targeting $3,000 per FEU for the US West Coast and $4,000 per FEU for the US East Coast.
The subsequent trend of freight rates will hinge on export demand during the peak shipping period from late May to June. A recovery in cargo volume coupled with prolonged geopolitical tensions is expected to drive freight rates further upward.
Route-by-Route Freight Rate Changes - Far East to Europe: $1,596 per TEU, up $75 - Far East to Mediterranean: $2,463 per TEU, up $33 - Far East to US West Coast: $2,826 per FEU, up $104 - Far East to US East Coast: $3,812 per FEU, up $121 - Persian Gulf Route: $3,937 per TEU, down $14 - South America Route (Santos): $2,931 per TEU, up $389 - Australia & New Zealand Route: $1,167 per TEU, up $100 As for near-sea routes, the freight rate for Far East to South Korea (20ft TEU) rose by $13 week-on-week.