According to the World Container Index published by Drewry on 30 October 2025, average freight rates for 40-foot containers rose by 4% week-on-week to USD 1,822, equivalent to around EUR 1,694. This marks the third consecutive increase after a prolonged 17-week decline. The recovery, however, does not offset the losses accumulated over the past year, with rates still 43% below the same period in 2024. Drewry expects a further slight increase in early November, supported by the new general rate increases (GRIs) taking effect on 1 November, but anticipates that the upward trend may be short-lived, with a likely return to downward movement.
Asia–Europe routes recorded a general improvement, with rate increases between 3% and 5% over the week. The Shanghai–Genoa connection showed the sharpest rise, up 5% in seven days, as rates climbed from USD 1,855 to USD 1,955 per FEU. The increase reflects carriers’ efforts to strengthen prices ahead of the annual contract renewal season. On a yearly basis, though, the rate remains 46% lower. The Shanghai–Rotterdam route advanced by 3%, from USD 1,736 to USD 1,795, yet still shows a 47% decline compared with 2024. In the opposite direction, the Rotterdam–Shanghai leg proved more stable, with a 1% increase lifting rates from USD 458 to USD 463. Here, the annual drop is limited to 15%, suggesting lower volatility in backhaul flows from Europe to Asia.
On transpacific routes, growth was more marked, particularly towards the US West Coast. The Shanghai–Los Angeles route rose by 6%, from USD 2,290 to USD 2,438 per 40-foot container, the largest gain of the week. It nevertheless remains the route with the steepest annual contraction, down 50%. The Shanghai–New York route, the most expensive in the index, increased by 4%, from USD 3,420 to USD 3,568, though still 32% below its 2024 level. In the opposite direction, the Los Angeles–Shanghai service remained almost unchanged at USD 706, with negligible variations both weekly and annually.
Across the transatlantic market, rates moved lower overall. The Rotterdam–New York route fell by 2%, from USD 1,720 to USD 1,678, confirming the slowdown in European exports to the United States. The opposite leg, New York–Rotterdam, declined by 1%, from USD 856 to USD 846, yet remains the only route in the table showing an annual increase, up 11% year-on-year.
In its latest Container Forecaster, Drewry predicts that the fragile balance between demand and available capacity is likely to weaken further in the coming quarters. The temporary recovery seen at the end of October appears to be a short-term effect driven by tariff measures and a brief adjustment in available capacity. Shipping lines are attempting to ease price pressure by reducing capacity and adjusting service frequencies, but global container demand remains sluggish, clouding the outlook for the close of 2025.
