The last week of May 2025 saw strong upward pressure in the maritime container transport sector. According to the latest update of the World Container Index released by Drewry on 29 May, the composite index – which includes all routes – jumped by 10 percent week-on-week, reaching 2,508 US dollars per 40-foot container. This marks the first double-digit increase in the index since July 2024, confirming a sudden acceleration in freight rates, particularly on Asia–United States routes.
The most dynamic segment is undoubtedly the transpacific corridor. The Shanghai–Los Angeles route recorded a 17 percent increase compared to the previous week, with the average freight rate reaching 3,738 US dollars per forty-foot equivalent unit. A double-digit rise was also observed on the Shanghai–New York route, which rose by 14 percent in just one week. According to Drewry, demand has returned sharply following President Trump's announcement of a “pause” on import tariffs – a political move that has effectively reactivated US orders and pushed freight rates higher on east–west routes.
Rates on routes to Europe showed more modest increases. The Shanghai–Rotterdam connection recorded a 6 percent weekly rise, while the Shanghai–Genoa route edged up by 3 percent. Although less striking than the transpacific boom, these figures suggest a gradual rebound in Asia–Europe flows, likely supported by a moderate rise in Asian exports in the pre-summer period.
The transatlantic route, on the other hand, remained stable. The cost of transporting a 40-foot container was on average 1 percent lower than the previous week, settling at 1,939 US dollars per feu, while the westbound rate rose by the same percentage to 830 dollars. Despite the current positive trend, Drewry urges caution. The analysis firm anticipates that the current balance between supply and demand could deteriorate in the second half of 2025. The arrival of new vessels, combined with uncertainty over the evolution of customs tariffs and the impact of US sanctions on Chinese fleets, could trigger a new phase of volatility, leading to falling freight rates.
