The announcement of new US tariffs has shifted the momentum in container freight rates, which had been declining steadily. In the first week of April 2025, rates began rising again, and this trend is visible across all routes, as highlighted by the World Container Index published by Drewry on 10 April. The data from the previous week does not take into account the 90-day suspension announced by Trump, who has nonetheless maintained the universal tariff of 10% and the 125% rate for China. However, Drewry notes that the upward trend is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
The sharpest increase was seen on shipments from Shanghai to Rotterdam, with a four percent rise bringing the average spot rate to 2,392 dollars per feu. On the return leg, rates climbed by two percent to 475 dollars. Shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to Genoa saw a one percent increase, reaching 3,071 dollars per feu.
A similar situation is developing on Pacific routes. The rate from Shanghai to Los Angeles rose by three percent to 2,815 dollars, while the rate to New York increased by two percent to 3,976 dollars per feu. Eastbound towards Asia, the situation remains stable, with the rate from Los Angeles to Shanghai holding steady at 705 dollars. On the Atlantic route, the only downward movement was a one percent drop in the rate from New York to Rotterdam, now at 824 dollars, while in the opposite direction the rate rose by the same percentage to 2,153 dollars per feu.
