News
The World Container Index (WCI), an indicator for freight rates on eight major routes on the trans-Pacific, Asia-Europe and trans-Atlantic trades, jumped 10% from the previous week to $2,508 per FEU in Week 22, remaining on an upward trend for the third consecutive month, Drewry Maritime Research announced last Thursday. The composite index, which plunged 41% from a year earlier, marked its first double-digit increase since July 2024.
The WCI has increased a total of 21% in the last three weeks, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s pause on import tariffs led to a resumption of U.S.-bound traffic after the initial collapse of trans-Pacific volumes.
Freight rates decreased 1%, or $13 to $1,939 per FEU from Rotterdam to New York, stayed flat at $710 per FEU from Los Angeles to Shanghai but increased across the board elsewhere. From Shanghai to Los Angeles, in particular, surged 17%, or $541 to $3,738 per FEU for a total of 38% in the last three weeks from May 8. From Shanghai to New York, meanwhile, freight rates soared 14%, or $645 to $5,172 per FEU, which led to a total rise of 42% in the last three weeks. From Shanghai to Rotterdam, freight rates picked up 6%, or $129 to $2,159 per FEU, and from Shanghai to Genoa, 3%, or $98 to $2,939 per FEU.
