Spot rates on transpacific surge after news of tariff time-out

17.05.2025

Container freight spot rates shot up on the transpacific trades this week, with an immediate surge in demand following news of a new 90-day hiatus in the China-US trade war.

This week’s World Container Index (WCI) from Drewry, which records spot rates paid over the past week, showed prices on its Shanghai-Los Angeles leg increase 16% week on week, to end at $3,136 per 40ft, while the Shanghai-New York leg climbed even higher, with a 19% gain on the previous week.