Container shipping rates hold steady as market absorbs tariff shifts

Logistics and shipping analytics firm Drewry’s World Container Index remained stable at $3,543 per 40-foot container for the week ending June 12, 2025, following four consecutive weeks of steep increases fueled by renewed U.S.-bound shipping traffic.

The index has surged 59% over the past month, a rebound driven by the resumption of transpacific trade following former President Donald Trump’s temporary pause on new import tariffs.

The initial implementation of the tariffs had caused a sharp collapse in volumes.

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Spot rates from Shanghai to New York rose 2% to $7,285 last week and have climbed 67% over the past four weeks. Rates to Los Angeles increased 1% in the past week, marking an 89% rise since mid-May. Analysts noted that eastbound transpacific prices are now leveling off amid a fresh injection of vessel capacity.

In contrast, rates on major Asia-Europe routes held steady. Prices from Shanghai to Rotterdam remained at $2,837 per 40-foot container, while the Shanghai-Genoa rate held at $4,054.

Drewry analysts said the recent short-term spike in rates has temporarily reversed a downward trend that began in January. However, they warned that the market could soften again in the second half of 2025. The outlook remains uncertain, hinging on pending legal challenges to U.S. tariff measures and potential new restrictions on Chinese-owned vessels.

Drewry noted in its latest Container Forecaster report that volatility is likely to remain elevated in the coming weeks, citing the unpredictability of future policy shifts and their effects on capacity.