News / Carriers in on the action with new services as intra-Asia rates boom

Credit VesselFinder

Intra-Asia ocean rates reached a six-month high in the last two weeks of 2025, as shipments continued piling up.

Drewry’s Intra-Asia Container Index showed rates averaging $716 per 40ft, with the greatest gains seen on Ho Chi Minh City-Shanghai, up 63% from the previous fortnight, to $67 per 40ft, and Jakarta-Shanghai, which saw a 21% gain to $51.

And Drewry expects freight rates to continue ticking up, due to tight capacity before the lunar new year, on 17 February.

On Korea Ocean Business Corp’s Composite Container Index, Busan-South-east Asia rates averaged $1,057 per 40ft in 2025, up 19% from 2024, and South Korea also celebrates the lunar new year,so shippers will also be rushing out cargo.

One forwarder told The Loadstar: “After Sino-US trade tensions, Chinese exports have been diverted to South-east Asia, resulting in the intra-Asia market being stronger than expected.”

In response, carriers such as HMM, CNC Line and Shanghai Jin Jiang Shipping are adjusting their intra-Asia sailings to meet the heightened demand.

HMM has revived its Korea-Vietnam Express (KVX) service and started a Korea-Indonesia string (KIS) to replace its Intra Cross Network butterfly service.

Last week, KVX began calling at Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Ho Chi Minh City, Sihanoukville, Laem Chabang, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Busan, using four 1,800 teu ships, and on Saturday, KIS began calling at Incheon, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Jakarta, Surabaya and Incheon, using four 2,400 teu ships.

CNC, the intra-Asia arm of CMA CGM, will enhance its coverage between China and Thailand with a new dedicated North and South China-Thailand service on 16 January.

Marketed as the NT8, the loop will turn in four weeks, with four 2,600-2,800 teu vessels serving Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Hong Kong, Shekou, Laem Chabang, Hong Kong, Nansha, and Tianjin. The 2,564 teu CMA CGM Quelimane will start.

JJ Shipping, a subsidiary of Shanghai International Port Group, is also getting in on the growing trade between Indonesia and East Asia by deploying its own tonnage to the country from last month.

And it has recently upgraded to being a vessel provider on the South Korea-China- Indonesia-South Vietnam PCI service operated by Sinokor and Heung A Line (both part of Sinokor Group). JJ Shipping contributed the recently chartered Happy Lucky (2,553 teu) to PCI, which joined three 2,500-2,800 teu ships provided by the two South Korean partners.

PCI continues to turn in four weeks, calling at Shanghai, Busan, Kwangyang, Shanghai, Jakarta, Surabaya, Ho Chi Minh City, and Shanghai.