Drewry World Container Index - 29 May

For many years, World Container Index has been the go-to, independent, global reference for index-linked contracts. If your organisation is considering index-linked contracts or requires regional visibility/coverage beyond the eight trade lanes provided below, contact our ocean freight cost benchmarking team.

Drewry’s World Container Index increased 10% to $2,508 per 40ft container this week.

Our detailed assessment for Thursday, 29 May 2025

• Drewry’s WCI has increased 21% in the last 3 weeks, as President Donald Trump’s “pause” on import tariffs led to a resumption of US-bound traffic after the initial collapse of transpacific volumes.

• Freight rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles have jumped 17% to $3,738 per 40ft container in the past week and 38% since 8 May (3 weeks ago). Spot rates to New York have risen 14% in the past week and 42% in the past 3 weeks.

• Freight rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam and Genoa have also risen in the past week, by 6% and 3%, respectively.

• This was the first double-digit rise in the composite index since July 2024.

• The latest sudden, short-term strengthening in supply-demand balance in global container shipping has reversed the trend of declining rates which had started in January.

• However, Drewry’s Container Forecaster expects the supply-demand balance to weaken again in the second half, which will cause spot rates to decline again in the second half of this year. The volatility and timing of rate changes will depend on the outcome of yesterday’s legal challenges to Trump’s tariffs and on capacity changes related to the introduction of the US penalties on Chinese ships, which are uncertain.

Spot freight rates by major route

Our assessment across eight major East-West trades: