As analysts had anticipated, the downward trend in average spot rates for container shipping continued into mid-February. The World Container Index, published by Drewry on 20 February 2025, shows an average drop of 10% across all tracked routes within a week, falling below three thousand dollars per feu (2,795 dollars). On routes between China and Europe, the average freight rate from Shanghai to Genoa fell by 8%, dropping below the 4,000-dollar threshold per feu (3,837 dollars). A similar decline of 9% was recorded on the Shanghai-Rotterdam route, where rates reached 2,618 dollars. In the opposite direction, the rate remained stable at 498 dollars per feu.
The decline in freight rates between China and the United States was even more pronounced in percentage terms. The rate from Shanghai to Los Angeles dropped by 11%, bringing the value below 4,000 dollars per feu (3,888 dollars). In the reverse direction, it remained unchanged at 701 dollars. The most significant percentage decrease was recorded on the Shanghai-New York route, where rates fell by 13% to 5,126 dollars per feu.
The transatlantic route remained relatively stable. The average spot rate for a forty-foot container shipped from Rotterdam to New York fell by just 3% to 2,394 dollars, while the rate from the US port to the Dutch terminal dropped by three dollars per feu to 829 dollars. For the following week, Drewry analysts anticipate a further, albeit slight, decline in rates.
