The period between 20 and 27 February 2025 confirmed the global trend of declining average spot rates in container shipping, though with significant differences depending on the route, according to figures published on 27 February by Drewry in its World Container Index. Rates on routes connecting Europe showed only a slight weekly decline, indicating a certain degree of stability. The rate between Shanghai and Rotterdam dropped by one per cent to $2,586 per FEU, while the rate between Shanghai and Genoa saw a slightly larger decline of two per cent, settling at $3,747. On the return route to China, from Rotterdam to Shanghai, there was even a one per cent increase, bringing the rate to $503 per FEU. A similar situation was observed on the transatlantic route: the average spot rate between Rotterdam and New York fell by one per cent to $2,374 per FEU, whereas in the opposite direction, it rose by one per cent to $835.
A different scenario emerged for routes between China and the United States. The spot rate between Shanghai and Los Angeles plummeted by 11 per cent to $3,477 per FEU, while the rate between Shanghai and New York fell by 10 per cent, dropping below the $5,000 threshold to $4,593 per FEU. The rate between Los Angeles and Shanghai remained stable, slipping by just one dollar to $700 per FEU.
The downward trend in recent weeks has also resulted in negative year-on-year differences. Compared to the same period the previous year, the spot rate between Shanghai and Rotterdam has collapsed by 34 per cent, while the rate between the Chinese port and Genoa has dropped by 21 per cent. Rates between China and the United States have also seen sharp declines, down 22 per cent between Shanghai and Los Angeles and 21 per cent between Shanghai and New York. The only positive year-on-year variations remain on the transatlantic routes, with a 32 per cent increase between New York and Rotterdam and a seven per cent rise in the opposite direction.
