Liners savour third-largest rate spike in container industry history
- Multiple spot-rate indexes have risen to levels last seen in August-September 2024 during the Red Sea crisis
- SCFI assessed rates from Shanghai to US west coast at $6,067 per feu, to US east coast at $7,384 per feu, to North Europe at $6,683 per feu, and to the Med at $9,332 per feu
- In the past week, carriers have increased offered capacity to US west coast by 10.5%, to US east coast by 12.1%, and to North Europe by 11.9%, according to Xeneta
No one predicted that liner operators would be raking in profits in 2026; there was supposed to be a downturn. But container shipping has been riding high, even before the official start of peak season
