Container rates ease after Golden Week, but China to the US stays expensive

The cost of shipping a container out of China slipped this week, as the Golden Week holiday closed factories and thinned out cargo. Drewry's World Container Index fell 1.87% to $4,351 per 40 foot container in the week to October 8.

The drop was small, and the routes most American buyers use are still costly. The rate from Shanghai to Los Angeles is about 30% higher than it was on July 23, when it stood at $5,878.

The Rates This Week:

• Shanghai to Los Angeles: $7,624, down 3%.
• Shanghai to New York: $10,220, down 2%.
• Shanghai to Rotterdam: $3,337, down 2%.
• Shanghai to Genoa: $3,696, unchanged.

Drewry expects rates to hold steady next week. Carriers cancelled eleven sailings across the Pacific this week and have announced only four for next week, so more space is coming back. Carriers also plan to raise their rates in the second half of October, though Drewry says it is uncertain whether those increases will hold. Rates from Asia to Europe have now fallen for 13 weeks in a row.

What it means for buyers

• Ask for a fresh freight quote. Rates move every week. A quote from September may already be out of date, so check how long yours is valid.
• Ask for the cost per carton. A small order usually travels in a shared container and is priced by volume. The headline rate per container tells you the trend, not your bill.
• Book ahead of Lunar New Year. Factories close around February 6, 2027, and space on ships often tightens in the weeks before. Confirm your shipping date when you confirm your order.
• Price each destination separately. Europe is the cheaper lane at the moment. If you ship to backers in both the United States and Europe, get a quote for each.
• Leave room in your budget. Drewry expects the market to stay volatile in the near term.

Top image: container ships at the Los Angeles harbor. US Food and Drug Administration, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Source: Drewry World Container Index