After several weeks of decline, container freight rates on the Transpacific trade are moving upward again.
Drewry’s World Container Index rose 3% on May 7, reaching $2,286 per 40-foot container.
The increase is being driven primarily by new emergency fuel surcharges and Peak Season Surcharges introduced by major shipping lines on routes between Asia and the United States.
Shanghai–New York rates climbed 7% to $3,721 per FEU, while Shanghai–Los Angeles increased 5% to $3,062 per FEU.
MSC notably raised its emergency fuel surcharge by $214 on U.S. East Coast routes and by $195 on West Coast services. CMA CGM also introduced a new Peak Season Surcharge of $2,000 effective May 1.
At the same time, U.S. containerized imports continue to slow.
According to Descartes, U.S. import volumes in April 2026 declined 3.2% compared to March and fell 5.5% year-on-year.
Imports from China have been particularly affected, dropping 33% from the peak reached in July 2024.
Analysts say persistent trade tensions involving the United States, China, the European Union, and India continue to fuel extreme volatility across global container markets.
On Asia-Europe routes, increases remain more moderate. Shanghai–Rotterdam rates rose 2%, while Shanghai–Genoa gained 1%.
However, Drewry remains skeptical about carriers’ ability to maintain the latest targeted rate increases in Europe, warning that weak demand and structural overcapacity will continue to pressure the market.
Meanwhile, disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis continue to impact intra-Asian trade flows, forcing carriers to adjust capacity and pricing across several regional corridors.
