Container spot rates on both the transpacific and Asia–Europe corridors extended their losing streak this week, yet forwarders say the headline figures mask a new wave of carrier surcharges that could hit invoices as early as August.
1. Rates: down but not out
Asia–US West Coast (FBX01) slipped another 8 % to $3,124/FEU—a 60 % retreat from June’s $6,000 peak.
Asia–US East Coast (FBX03) eased 16 % to $5,159/FEU but still sits 30 % above early-May levels.
Asia–North Europe (FBX11) bucked the trend, up 14 % to $3,384/FEU on fresh blank sailings, while Asia–Mediterranean (FBX13) dropped 6 % to $3,967/FEU.
Drewry’s composite WCI fell 7 % to $2,115/FEU, its first weekly decline after six straight gains.
2. Why carriers still want more money
Although spot indices are falling, carriers have quietly rolled out equipment imbalance surcharges (EIS), congestion add-ons and peak-season restoration fees effective 1 August, citing:
Port dwell: 11 % of the global fleet—about 3.3 m TEU—is currently trapped in Asian, European and North-American terminals.
Empty repositioning: Shanghai’s reefer deficit is at its highest since 2022, pushing carriers like COSCO and MSC to impose $300/TEU empty-return premiums.
Red Sea detours still absorb 8–10 % of global capacity, keeping effective supply tight.
3. Forwarders’ view
“Rates on paper are down, but once you add EIS, CAF and terminal handling surcharges, our landed cost is flat to up versus May,” says Claire Huang, air & ocean procurement manager at DHL Global Forwarding (Asia-Pacific). SEKO’s Clint Dvorak adds that double-digit volume declines are forecast for August-October as April’s front-loaded cargo clears US ports. That means carriers will likely blank more sailings or push July GRIs through surcharges rather than base-rate hikes.
4. What shippers should watch
Blank sailing ratio: Alphaliner expects 12 % of transpacific sailings to be voided in August, the highest since 2022.
Contract season: Early tender results show Asia–Europe annual rates 18–25 % below 2024 levels, but carriers are refusing offers without surcharge caps.
Tariff cliff: If the US–China tariff truce expires on 12 August, another pre-deadline rush could reverse the spot slide overnight.
Bottom line: the headline spot index may look like relief, but the fine print tells a different story. Forwarders are advising clients to lock surcharges now and budget an extra $200–400/FEU through Q3 to avoid invoice shock.
