News / Container spot rates hold steady as carriers adjust capacity for CNY holiday

© Sheila Fitzgerald

After a strong finish to 2018, container spot rates on the major east-west routes, as recorded by the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI), nudged down slightly this week – but they remain notably higher than a year ago.

And with carriers announcing significant blank sailing programmes across their east-west networks around the Chinese new year holiday next month, rates look likely to hold reasonably steady in the coming weeks.

The European components of the SCFI were both 1.7% lower on the week, ...