News / Transpacific box carriers see new threat on the horizon as rates tumble

Container spot rates on the Asia-Europe trade held firm this week, but carriers are likely to be concerned by a decline on eastbound transpacific rates.

Today’s Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) recorded an increase of 7.3% for spot rates to North Europe to $921 per teu and a 4.5% uplift for Mediterranean ports to $882 per teu.

According to Patrik Berglund, chief executive of ocean freight pricing platform Xeneta, the average rates of contracts being agreed with carriers is “substantially higher” than last year, ...