News / Box rates ease, but 'things may get worse for shippers before they get better'

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It appears increasingly likely that the main east-west container trades have now entered an early peak season – which, combined with disruptions such as equipment shortages, port congestion and schedule volatility, has caused the recent spike in spot rates.

There were tentative signs this week, however, that the pressure might be easing.

After three weeks of consecutive double-digit rate increases, this week saw low-to-mid single-digit rises, indicating that the upward spiral has begun to taper off.

Both the Drewry World Container Index’s (WCI) ...