Drewry: Intra-Asia Container Index Slightly Higher Last Week

International Shipping News — 10/08/2026

Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI), a benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams, strengthened this week to $970 (+1%) per 40ft container, snapping a six-week decline. The gains were supported by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with freight rates rising across most trade lanes — except on the Shanghai–Kaohsiung and Shanghai–Laem Chabang routes, where rates recorded notable declines. Intra-Asia is one of the world's busiest regional container markets, serving manufacturing supply chains across China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.

Spot rates on trade lanes connecting China with Southeast Asia and South Asia showed signs of recovery after the prolonged six-week downturn, as carriers managed to stabilise prices. Ongoing tensions in the Gulf pushed Shanghai–Jawaharlal Nehru Port rates up 8% to $1,767 per 40ft container, while Shanghai–Jebel Ali rates rose a further 7% to $7,143 per 40ft container.

In contrast, rates from Shanghai to Laem Chabang fell 23% to $687 per 40ft container, and those to Kaohsiung declined 7% to $1,333 per 40ft container, supported by easing port congestion. Average vessel waiting times at Laem Chabang dropped from 15.33 hours to 11.6 hours week-on-week in Week 31, while Kaohsiung's waiting times fell from 14.78 hours to 7.32 hours.

Renewed hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical transit route for global energy shipments — have driven fuel prices higher, prompting carriers to introduce emergency fuel surcharges of $38–75 per TEU on short-haul regional trade lanes from this week. Higher bunker costs affect carriers across the board, as fuel typically ranks among the largest operating expenses for container shipping lines. At the same time, Typhoons Noul and Bavi continue to disrupt port operations across southern and eastern China, leading to persistent vessel delays. At the Port of Shanghai, the world's busiest container port by throughput, average vessel waiting times increased from 77 hours to 94.8 hours week-on-week in Week 31.

On trade routes from South Asia and Southeast Asia, spot rates remained stable during the week. Rates from Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai and from Jawaharlal Nehru Port to Shanghai held steady at $65 and $117 per 40ft container, respectively.

Singapore-based PIL (Pacific International Line) will strengthen its Southeast Asia network in early September by launching the Indonesia Thailand Straits (ITS) service, a butterfly service connecting Thailand and Indonesian ports via the straits. The carrier will join OOCL and Gold Star Line (GSL) on the existing ITS service, replacing Yang Ming, which is exiting the partnership. The new service will enhance PIL's feeder connectivity across Indonesia and Thailand while providing weekly links between key Thailand gateways and Indonesian ports.

The intra-Asia container freight market continues to soften following the end of the peak season, although rising fuel costs and continued uncertainty in the Middle East have helped reverse the recent downward trend in freight rates. Renewed US–Iran hostilities and recent attacks on vessels have heightened security concerns, keeping market sentiment cautious. Shipping lines have also introduced bunker adjustment surcharges in response to higher fuel costs.

Drewry expects freight rates to remain stable in the coming weeks.

About the Drewry Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI)

Source: Drewry Intra-Asia Container Index, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors. Note: Freight rates exclude origin and destination terminal handling charges.

Drewry's IACI reports actual spot container freight rates for major intra-Asia trade routes. The Index, updated weekly (from 02 Jan 2026), consists of 18 route-specific indices representing individual shipping routes and a composite index. All indices are reported in USD per 40ft container.

Market freight rates are collected for the following routes:

• Busan–Shanghai
• Ho Chi Minh City–Shanghai
• Jakarta–Shanghai
• Jawaharlal Nehru Port–Shanghai
• Kaohsiung–Shanghai
• Laem Chabang–Shanghai
• Shanghai–Busan
• Shanghai–Ho Chi Minh City
• Shanghai–Jakarta
• Shanghai–Jawaharlal Nehru Port
• Shanghai–Jebel Ali
• Shanghai–Kaohsiung
• Shanghai–Laem Chabang
• Shanghai–Manila
• Shanghai–Singapore
• Shanghai–Tanjung Pelepas
• Shanghai–Yokohama
• Yokohama–Shanghai

Source: Drewry