TRIESTE – The World Container Index calculated by Drewry shows a sharp weekly rise in container freight rates, confirming a phase of renewed price pressure in ocean transport.
In the latest available update, the index is up 16% week on week, reaching $2,557 per 40-foot container. The increase is driven above all by the Asia–Europe and Transpacific routes, where spot rates have climbed again noticeably after several more stable weeks.
On Asia–Europe services, Drewry reports significant increases on lanes to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Routes to the United States are also showing marked rises, with double-digit percentage increases on both the West Coast and the East Coast. According to Drewry’s analysis, the move reflects a combination of factors: capacity adjustments by carriers, seasonal dynamics and operational disruptions along major global supply chains. The increase comes at a time when volumes remain uneven, especially on Asian exports, but the spot market reacts quickly to any signal of reduced available supply.
