Global Container Market Update — 2026-09-12

The Drewry World Container Index (WCI), the benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams, remained stable at $4,476 per 40ft container for the second consecutive week. On the Transpacific trade, rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles rose 2% to $7,352 per 40ft container, while those from Shanghai to New York edged up 1% to $9,726 per 40ft container. According to Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight , eight blank sailings have been announced for next week, up from seven this week, indicating tighter capacity. With easing demand and continued carrier capacity management, Drewry expects freight rates to remain stable next week. On the Asia–Europe trade route, rates from Shanghai to Genoa fell 3% to $4,216 per 40ft container while they decreased 2% to $3,997 per 40ft container from Shanghai to Rotterdam. According to Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight , three blank sailings are announced for next week, up from one this week, indicating tight capacity. While congestion at Shanghai port remained elevated, it improved from 94 hours in Week 35 to 64 hours in Week 36. With low demand, persistent congestion in Asia and continued capacity management by carriers, Drewry expects rates to remain stable next week. Iran–US tensions continue to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Panama Canal Authority has postponed a 0.15-metre draft reduction for Neopanamax vessels, although transit restrictions remain. Carriers are supporting rates through capacity management, while congestion at Asian ports continues to disrupt schedules. Meanwhile, the selective return of services to the Suez Canal is restoring effective capacity on Asia–Europe routes, putting downwards pressure on freight rates. Early booking remains important as congestion and blank sailings can tighten capacity.

Drewry notes ongoing Hormuz / US–Iran tension with carriers announcing Emergency Fuel Surcharges (EFS).

Freightos Baltic Index (FBX) currently around USD 3,503.75 (volatility 0.64%).

Market characterisation: a still high-cost, operationally volatile market moving toward partial rebalancing — not yet normalised.

The table lists only publicly evidenced benchmarks from this collection cycle. Regional reading: Shanghai remains the East–West pricing reference; Transpacific and Asia–Europe corrections reflect capacity expansion and easing demand (Drewry). Where a lane is blank, the public page did not yield a labeled figure.

No sufficiently recent, independently verifiable operating figures for Shanghai, Ningbo, Hamburg, Busan or Dubai were confirmed in this collection cycle. Los Angeles / Rotterdam / Singapore updates are included only when official press text was captured — otherwise marked unavailable. Prefer gaps over assumptions.

Public real-time data on One Trip, used, leasing and depot stock remain limited. Market inferences from freight/capacity signals: rising vessel capacity may ease East–West equipment imbalances; strong U.S. imports can generate empty export boxes; Middle East route risk can still delay repositioning. These are inferences, not a global depot inventory.

No sufficiently specific carrier announcements with direct material relevance to today’s global assessment were confirmed in this collection cycle. Absence of a verified update is not evidence of inactivity.

The Drewry World Container Index (WCI), the benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams, remained stable at $4,476 per 40ft container for the second consecutive week. On the Transpacific trade, rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles rose 2% to $7,352 per 40ft container, while those from Shanghai to New York edged up 1% to $9,726 per 40ft container. According to Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight , eight blank sailings have been announced for next week, up from seven this week, indicating tighter capacity. With easing demand and continued carrier capacity management, Drewry expects freight rates to remain stable next week. On the Asia–Europe trade route, rates from Shanghai to Genoa fell 3% to $4,216 per 40ft container while they decreased 2% to $3,997 per 40ft container from Shanghai to Rotterdam. According to Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight , three blank sailings are announced for next week, up from one this week, indicating tight capacity. While congestion at Shanghai port remained elevated, it improved from 94 hours in Week 35 to 64 hours in Week 36. With low demand, persistent congestion in Asia and continued capacity management by carriers, Drewry expects rates to remain stable next week. Iran–US tensions continue to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Panama Canal Authority has postponed a 0.15-metre draft reduction for Neopanamax vessels, although transit restrictions remain. Carriers are supporting rates through capacity management, while congestion at Asian ports continues to disrupt schedules. Meanwhile, the selective return of services to the Suez Canal is restoring effective capacity on Asia–Europe routes, putting downwards pressure on freight rates. Early booking remains important as congestion and blank sailings can tighten capacity.

Drewry notes ongoing Hormuz / US–Iran tension with carriers announcing Emergency Fuel Surcharges (EFS).

Reliable daily purchase prices for new, One Trip and used boxes are not publicly available at freight-index depth. Directional signals below refer to ocean freight, not equipment acquisition prices.

Short-term (2–6 weeks): Spot rates likely remain under moderate downward pressure while capacity expands and blank sailings ease — geopolitical shocks can reverse that quickly.

Medium-term (3–6 months): A broader return to Suez would release effective capacity; continued instability would preserve longer transit times and higher operating costs.

Market conclusion: commercially active, operationally unstable, highly sensitive to capacity and security shifts. Compare routes and terms — do not rely on a single global trend.