News / 'Desperate' GRIs by carriers prop up Asia-Europe spot rates, for now

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Container shipping lines on the main east-west trades this week managed to reverse 15 weeks of consecutive declines in spot freight rates by managing to push through a general rate increase on ex-Asia loadings.

This week’s Drewry World Container Index (WCI) saw the spot rate on the Shanghai-Rotterdam leg rise 8% week on week, to $3,396 per 40ft, while the Shanghai-Genoa leg grew 11%, to $3,648 per 40ft.

One European forwarder told The Loadstar the hike was largely due to a 1 ...