The downward trend continues to dominate average spot freight rates in maritime container transport. the latest data from Drewry, published on 6 February 2025, show red arrows across all routes. The routes between China and Europe recorded a weekly drop of 4% between Shanghai and Genoa and 5% between Shanghai and Rotterdam, bringing the average rate to 4,236 and 3,125 dollars per feu, respectively. Annual figures also declined, by 19% and 29%, respectively. The Rotterdam to Shanghai route is also in the red, with freight rates falling by 4% to 498 dollars per feu.
The steepest percentage decline in the first week of February, however, appears on the route between Rotterdam and New York, where the spot rate plunged by 10% in a single week, reaching 2,469 dollars per feu. In the opposite direction, the situation remains relatively stable, with a 1% drop to 833 dollars per feu.
Declines in freight rates between Asia and the United States are less pronounced than those seen in Europe. The decline between Shanghai and the ports of Los Angeles and New York is 1% in both cases, bringing rates to 4,717 and 6,212 dollars per feu, respectively. In the reverse direction, between Los Angeles and Shanghai, rates fell by 2% to 707 dollars per feu. Drewry anticipates that freight rates will continue to decrease in the coming weeks due to the rising capacity of container ships.
