LOS ANGELES, September 13, 2026 – A logistical planner, Marcus Vance, found himself spending almost the whole morning Thursday trying to make sense of budget computations for shipments that will not settle down. “Just when we think that the cost of ocean freight is finally leveling out, another blow is dealt to the Western routes,” he said while sipping his lukewarm coffee in his office near the Port of Los Angeles.
The frustration Vance feels stems from a larger issue being felt around the globe.
Data presented today by maritime consulting firm Drewry revealed that the spot container rate between the important Shanghai to Los Angeles route had increased by 2% week-to-week and reached $7,352 per 40-foot box. Across the country, the Eastern ports recorded a similar increase in their rates; the Shanghai to New York route posted a 1% increase, reaching $9,297 per box.
And this matters because importers are actively racing against the clock.
North American importers have been pushing their shipments at Pacific ports sooner than expected this season. Why are they in such a hurry? They want to safeguard themselves from possible labor problems at US East and Gulf Coast ports, as well as from possible new tariffs. This fear has pushed transpacific vessels to remain fully loaded despite general weakening of the economy everywhere else.
Asian lanes paint a much more interesting picture.
Whereas US importers are trying to secure vessel capacity, eastbound lanes towards Europe have shown some downturns. From Shanghai to Rotterdam, spot rates decreased by 2%, down to $8,050 per 40ft container, whereas Shanghai to Genoa spot rates fell by 4%, reaching about $7,269 per 40ft container.
The composite indexes reveal the final story about two oceans. Drewry’s aggregate World Container Index was unchanged at $4,476 per 40-foot container last week, with North America holding strong and Europe soft. According to industry experts, although rates are high as compared to their pre-pandemic average, carriers are trying very hard to control their capacity through blank sailings to avoid extreme rate declines.
Freight forwarders do not foresee an immediate decline in surcharges for containers destined for America. The holiday period when importers restock their shelves is currently in full swing, and they will have to pay additional surcharges till the fall.
The question is whether consumer prices would eventually show an increase due to these continuous hikes in logistics premium costs; right now, all Vance can do is budget for the increased expenses.
