The Drewry World Container Index (WCI), long the go-to independent reference for index-linked contracts, was assessed on Thursday, 03 September 2026.

The composite index, a benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams when negotiating short-term contracts and shippers when budgeting ocean freight costs, remained stable at $4,465 per 40ft container, as gains on Transpacific trade routes were offset by declines on Asia–Europe trade routes. The divergent regional moves underscore how carriers' ability to manage capacity — chiefly through blanked sailings — can hold the global composite steady even as individual trade lanes move sharply in opposite directions.

Transpacific rates rise

Spot rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles rose 5% to $7,185 per 40ft container, while rates from Shanghai to New York increased 3% to $9,587 per 40ft container.

According to Drewry's Container Capacity Insight, six blank sailings have been announced for the next week, twice as many as this week, indicating a decrease in capacity. Blank sailings — scheduled voyages cancelled by carriers — are a standard lever used to withdraw tonnage and support rates when demand softens or to protect them when demand is firm. With resilient demand and continued capacity management by carriers, Drewry expects freight rates to remain stable next week.

Asia–Europe rates fall

The Asia–Europe trade route saw spot rates decrease this week. Rates from Shanghai to Genoa fell 10% to $4,368 per 40ft container, and rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam decreased 5% to $4,092 per 40ft container.

Drewry's Container Capacity Insight indicates that blank sailings are set to drop from four this week to just one next week, injecting more capacity into the market. With cargo demand softening, Drewry expects spot rates to experience a modest decline next week. The movement of capacity between trade lanes — with withdrawals focused on the Transpacific while Asia–Europe sailings resume — illustrates how carriers redeploy vessels in response to regional demand and rate conditions.

Suez Canal transits ramping up

Ocean carriers are increasing transits through the Suez Canal, with capacity set to surge as services return. Rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope on the headhaul carries severe cost penalties and extended lead times, placing carriers at a steep competitive disadvantage. A wider return to the Suez route would restore the shortest passage between Asia and Europe, a shift carriers and cargo owners have been watching since large-scale diversions around Africa began in late 2023.

Ongoing disruptions

Geopolitical risks in the Middle East remain elevated, with continued attacks on commercial ships adding further disruption to the Strait of Hormuz. Chinese ports remain constrained after Typhoon Saudel struck the country, adding to elevated congestion following a series of recent typhoons. Meanwhile, Panama Canal drought restrictions are limiting capacity to 34 daily transits in early September and 32 later in the month, with Neo-Panamax capacity capped at nine slots per day. The Panama restrictions continue a pattern of drought-driven transit cuts that have periodically constrained the key link between Asia and the US East Coast since 2023.

Broader rate coverage

Drewry's Container Freight Rate Insight (CFRI) online service provides ocean spot market freight rates against 6,700 global port pairs, updated monthly, with 2,450 updated fortnightly.

Source: Drewry via Hellenic Shipping News, 05/09/2026