As of mid-July 2024, container shipping rates are increasing at a very low rate, confirming the trend observed the previous week. This is according to the World Container Index released on July 18, 2024, by Drewry. No route exceeds a four percent increase, with the two European routes under this threshold. The average spot rate for a container traveling between Shanghai and Genoa increased by one percent in a week, reaching $7,727 per FEU, while the rate between the Chinese port and Rotterdam rose slightly more, by 3%, bringing the average rate to $8,267. In the opposite direction, the value remained practically unchanged, decreasing from $631 to $630 per FEU.
On the transatlantic route, contrasting trends emerge: while the spot rate for shipping from New York to Rotterdam shows a 4% increase, bringing it to $710, the reverse direction sees a one percent decrease, dropping to $1,943 per FEU. The rate between Shanghai and Los Angeles also decreased by three percent, falling to $7,288, while the reverse direction remains stable at $701. Meanwhile, shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to New York costs two percent more, reaching $9,612.
