Data highlights
- Market average spot rates – 11 September 2025:
- Far East to US West Coast: USD 2322 per FEU (40ft container)
- Far East to US East Coast: USD 3190 per FEU
- Far East to North Europe: USD 2328 per FEU
- Far East to Mediterranean: USD 2861 per FEU
- North Europe to US East Coast: USD 1838 per FEU
- The average spot rates from Far East into both Europe and North America all declined steadily from a week ago. This follows from last week, where we saw differing directions – with US-bound trades rising solidly and Europe-bound trades increasing the pace of decline.
- The development from the end of August shows average spot freight rates into the US West Coast are up 27.1%, whereas the rate into US East Coast is up 11.8%.
- Current spread in average spot rates between the two US coasts (USD 868 per FEU) shows their ‘normal’ relationship is out of balance after reaching a more recognizable USD 1027 per FEU on 31 August.
- This indicates that US-bound trade lanes are impacted differently by current conditions, but also that the imbalance will reverse when the markets ‘calm down’.
- The development from end of August shows average spot freight rate into the Mediterranean has fallen 8.1%, whereas the rate into North Europe is down 12.9%.
- From a week ago, the average rate is down 1.7% and 2.2% into Mediterranean and North Europe respectively.
- Spot market rates into the Mediterranean and North Europe have now been consistently falling since mid-June and early-July respectively.
- Meanwhile, it’s ‘steady as you go’ on the Transatlantic trade where the average spot rate is down just USD 3 per FEU (-0.2%) from last week and USD 50 per FEU (-2.6%) from 31 August.
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Xeneta analyst insight - Transpacific
Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst:
“Carriers are swapping out China-built vessels on services into the US ahead of USTR port fees coming into force next month. This could be one of the factors behind increasing spot rates on Transpacific trades.
“Swapping out China-built ships may not result in lower capacity or blanked sailings, but it will cause disruption with the potential to impact rate development.
“For example, Gemini is swapping out a total of 60 000 TEU across six China-built vessels on the US2 service, which calls at both the US East Coast and US West Coast. It’s clear this is a concerted effort to minimize China-built TEU on these trades.”
Xeneta analyst insight – Far East to North Europe
Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst:
“On 1 August, average spot rates on trades from Far East to North Europe and Mediterranean were completely aligned, but that spread has now increased to USD 500 per FEU.
“This is a fascinating story because the spread is caused by North Europe falling harder while Mediterranean is holding firmer on both short and long term markets. One factor is found in stronger demand at ports in the Western Mediterranean, which is helping to hold spot rates up in comparison to North Europe.”
Ends
