Following a surge of nearly €1,000 per FEU (forty-foot container) over just two weeks, spot rates showed between Asia and Europe a marked slowdown in early December 2024. Nonetheless, they retained a positive trend. According to the World Container Index published by Drewry on 12 December 2024, weekly growth in rates between Shanghai and the ports of Genoa and Rotterdam stood at a mere 1%. Freight rates on the Shanghai-Genoa route reached $5,526 per FEU (up by $30 compared to the previous week), while rates on the Shanghai-Rotterdam route increased to $4,855 per FEU (an $80 rise). Rates for the Rotterdam-Shanghai route also remained stable, with a 1% increase.
The New York-Rotterdam route showed slightly more movement, with rates rising by 3% to $2,622 per FEU, while rates in the opposite direction fell by 1% to $830 per FEU. On U.S. routes, spot rates between Shanghai and Los Angeles dropped by 4% to $3,582 per FEU, while rates between Shanghai and New York inched up by just 1% to $5,199 per FEU. For reverse routes, Drewry reported a 1% increase in rates between Los Angeles and Shanghai, reaching $726 per FEU. This mixed performance has left the composite average index, which encompasses all routes, largely unchanged at $3,529 per FEU compared to $3,533 the previous week. Drewry analysts anticipate that this stability will persist in the coming weeks.
