Container shipping costs have climbed once more this week, as an unusually early peak season boosted rates on key East-West corridors. The Drewry World Container Index (WCI) advanced 23% compared to the prior week, reaching US$3,433 per 40-foot container.

Read also: Container Freight Rates Surge as Peak Season Demand Collides With Middle East Disruptions

Drewry pointed to heightened demand on Transpacific and Asia-Europe routes as the primary driver behind this notable increase, adding that the current peak season commenced earlier than typical. The Transpacific segment saw the most significant advances. The Shanghai-to-Los Angeles rate surged 31% to US$4,565 per 40-foot container, while the Shanghai-to-New York rate rose 20% to US$5,505 per 40-foot container.

According to Drewry, carriers have scheduled only three blank sailings for the upcoming week on Transpacific services. This relatively low number of cancellations indicates that carriers anticipate robust cargo demand. Shippers are continuing to move goods forward in anticipation of possible US tariff adjustments expected in July. Additionally, cargo tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has contributed to volume growth. Carriers have successfully applied peak season surcharges (PSS) on eastbound Transpacific routes this month.

Asia-Europe lanes also experienced considerable strengthening. The Shanghai-to-Rotterdam rate climbed 25% to US$3,579 per 40-foot container, and the Shanghai-to-Genoa rate increased 20% to US$5,089 per 40-foot container. Drewry noted that demand has been pulled forward into June ahead of planned bunker fuel adjustments set for July 1. Carriers have also implemented higher FAK rates and additional PSS measures. Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have announced further surcharge increases effective June 8 and June 10, with amounts ranging from US$300 to US$500 per 20-foot container and US$600 to US$1,000 per 40-foot container.

The overall East-West market continues to tighten. Diversions around the Red Sea are lengthening transit times, prompting earlier ordering patterns. Retailers are also building up inventories ahead of Amazon Prime Day and mid-year promotional events. Ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to affect market sentiment, while rising bunker costs and fuel surcharges add further pressure on freight rates.

On other routes, the Rotterdam-Shanghai rate dropped 5% to US$617 per 40-foot container, the Los Angeles-Shanghai rate fell 1% to US$783, and the New York-Rotterdam rate slipped 1% to US$966. The Rotterdam-New York lane was the only westbound route to see an increase, rising 5% to US$2,560. Drewry anticipates that upward pressure on freight rates will persist in the weeks ahead as peak season demand continues to strengthen.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform