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Drewry Index Sees Container Rates Stabilize

[ August 1, 2025   //   ]

Drewry’s World Container Index, or WCI, declined 1 percent to US$2,499 per 40-foot container the week of July 31, and continued to stabilize after a volatile period.

The unpredictability began, Drewry said, after U.S. tariffs were announced in April, which caused rates to surge from May through early June. Subsequently, the market saw a heavy decline until mid-July, after which the downward trend lost momentum and the rate of decrease slowed considerably.

Transpacific spot rates fell the week of July 31, as Shanghai-Los Angeles rates were down 2 percent to US2,632 per 40-foot equivalent unit, or FEU, and those on Shanghai-New York also slid 2 percent to US$4,135/FEU.

With a temporary halt on higher U.S. tariffs for Chinese products ending in mid-August, shipping lines are cutting back on services across the Pacific by cancelling more sailings. Since the big rush to ship cargo before the tariff increase is now over, Drewry expects spot rates to remain less volatile in the coming week.

Drewry’s Container Forecaster expects the supply-demand balance to weaken again in the second half of 2025, which will cause spot rates to contract. The volatility and timing of rate changes will depend on Trump’s future tariffs and on capacity changes related to the introduction of U.S. penalties on Chinese ships, which are uncertain.

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