News / Shipping lines can't cope with booming perishables trade and lack of reefers

Even as reefer container freight rates soar, shipping lines are “far from coping” with the seasonal demands of perishables.

According to Drewry, a weighted average of rates across the top 15 “reefer-intensive” tradelanes jumped 26% in the first quarter, following a seasonal uptick in cargo demand and rising bunker surcharges.

This placed rates at their highest level since the reefer index was launched in 2017, and Drewry expects rates to rise further in Q2.

“However, these increases are modest, compared to the inexorable ...