Global Container Market Update — 2026-08-04

The Drewry World Container Index (WCI), the benchmark widely referenced by procurement teams, decreased 3% to $4,255 per 40ft container, driven by a decrease in rates on Asia–Europe and Transpacific trade routes. On the Transpacific trade route, spot rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles declined 2% to $5,739 per 40ft container, while rates from Shanghai to New York held steady at $7,578 per 40ft container. Following softening demand and the slowdown in front-loading activity, carriers are actively managing capacity through blank sailings. According to Drewry's Container Capacity Insight , eight blank sailings are scheduled for next week, up from seven this week, resulting in a decrease in available capacity in the market. As a result, Drewry expects the volatility in rates to reduce in the coming week. On the Asia–Europe trade route, spot rates declined 6% to $5,630 per 40ft container from Shanghai to Genoa and decreased 3% to $4,677 per 40ft container on Shanghai to Rotterdam. With demand continuing to ease, carriers are focusing on capacity management through blank sailings to prevent further rate erosion. According to Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight , three blank sailings are scheduled on the Asia–Europe trade lane next week, compared to four this week. As carriers continue to manage available capacity, Drewry expects rates to remain stable in the next week. The East–West container freight market remained under pressure, as demand continued to soften following the implementation of new US tariff measures. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have prompted several carriers to introduce Emergency Fuel Surcharges (EFS) effective from August, while carriers across major trade lanes continue to manage capacity through blank sailings and service adjustments. Ongoing

Drewry’s World Container Index decreased 3% to $4,255 per 40ft container (public weekly assessment).

Asia–Europe blank sailings next week: three (Drewry).

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

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, decreased 3% to $4,255 per 40ft container, driven by a decrease in rates on Asia–Europe and Transpacific trade routes. On the Transpacific trade route, spot rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles declined 2% to $5,739 per 40ft container, while rates from Shanghai to New York held steady at $7,578 per 40ft container. Following softening demand and the slowdown in front-loading activity, carriers are actively managing capacity through blank sailings. According to Drewry's Container Capacity Insight , eight blank sailings are scheduled for next week, up from seven this week, resulting in a decrease in available capacity in the market. As a result, Drewry expects the volatility in rates to reduce in the coming week. On the Asia–Europe trade route, spot rates declined 6% to $5,630 per 40ft container from Shanghai to Genoa and decreased 3% to $4,677 per 40ft container on Shanghai to Rotterdam. With demand continuing to ease, carriers are focusing on capacity management through blank sailings to prevent further rate erosion. According to Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight , three blank sailings are scheduled on the Asia–Europe trade lane next week, compared to four this week. As carriers continue to manage available capacity, Drewry expects rates to remain stable in the next week. The East–West container freight market remained under pressure, as demand continued to soften following the implementation of new US tariff measures. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have prompted several carriers to introduce Emergency Fuel Surcharges (EFS) effective from August, while carriers across major trade lanes continue to manage capacity through blank sailings and service adjustments. Ongoing

Asia–Europe blank sailings next week: three (Drewry).

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.