Spot container freight rates from China to the US are surging again, with key transpacific lanes approaching pandemic record levels, driven by higher fuel costs, risk premia and a broad range of surcharges layered on top of base rates.
According to multiple market assessments, spot rates on the China–US East Coast route have risen to around 10,900–11,000 USD per 40‑foot container, putting them only a few percentage points below the all‑time highs seen during the Covid‑19 boom, while China–US West Coast spot levels are now in the region of 7,500–8,000 USD per FEU. Week‑on‑week, Drewry’s World Container Index shows a jump of roughly 7% on the Shanghai–New York lane, and the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) has advanced for seven consecutive weeks, signaling persistent upward pressure on Asia export rates. Trade press reports stress that the steepest increases are on North American routes, while Europe and Mediterranean trades show more moderate or mixed trends.
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