Drewry: Container Spot Rates Continue Climb as Early Peak Season Gains Momentum

Container freight rates continued their upward march this week as carriers pushed ahead with higher pricing on major East-West trade lanes amid signs that the traditional peak shipping season is arriving earlier than usual.

According to the latest data from shipping consultancy Drewry, the Drewry World Container Index (WCI) rose 6% this week to $2,712 per 40-foot container, marking the third consecutive weekly increase in May.

The sharpest gains came on the Asia-Europe trade lane, where tightening capacity and rising Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates fueled a surge in spot pricing.

Freight rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam jumped 15% to