Sinking box rates and entrenched tariffs raise red flags on 2026
- SCFI Shanghai-US west coast index falls to just $1,644 per feu — lowest since November 2023, prior to Red Sea attacks
- Leading US importer Walmart reports weekly cost increases, as it replenishes pre-tariff inventory with tariffed goods
- Xeneta expects spot rate declines in both transpacific and Asia-Europe for remainder of 3Q25 and into 4Q25
Spot container rates are expected to be weak for the remainder of this year. That raises the question of how annual contract rates will reset in 2026, particularly given tariff headwinds in the US market
