According to the latest container freight index by Drewry, the average composite index for the year-to-date was $3,260 per 40 ft container, which is $550 higher than the 10-year average rate of $2,710 per 40 ft container. This increase occurred between 2020 and 2022 due to severe disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Freight rates from Rotterdam to New York and Shanghai to Los Angeles decreased by 3 per cent to $2,214 and $3,395 per 40 ft container, respectively. Similarly, rates from Rotterdam to Shanghai and Shanghai to New York dropped by 2 per cent to $749 and $4,369 per 40 ft container, respectively. Likewise, the rates from Los Angeles to Shanghai declined by 1 per cent, or $8, to $700 per FEU (forty-foot equivalent unit).
Drewry’s World Container Index remained at $2,706 per 40 ft container for the week ending 25 April, matching the figure from the previous week.
It reflects a 55 per cent increase YoY and is 90 per cent above the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.
For 2023 to date, the average rate is $3,260 per 40ft, which is substantially higher than the 10-year average.
Conversely, rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam increased by 2 per cent, or $67, to $3,056 per 40 ft container. Also, rates from Shanghai to Genoa increased by 1 per cent, or $38, to $3,615 per FEU. Meanwhile, rates from New York to Rotterdam remained stable. Drewry expects freight rates ex-China to hold steady in the coming week.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)