Data highlights
- Market average spot rates – 18 September 2025:
- Far East to US West Coast: USD 2375 per FEU (40ft container)
- Far East to US East Coast: USD 3317 per FEU
- Far East to North Europe: USD 2052 per FEU
- Far East to Mediterranean: USD 2680 per FEU
- North Europe to US East Coast: USD 1806 per FEU
- The average spot rates from Far East have increased in the past week into both the US East Coast and US West Coast, up 4.3% and 4.3% respectively.
- Prior to the latest uptick, spot rates had been softening from a significant spike on 1 September when average spot rates increased 13.5% into the US East Coast and 27.9% into the US West Coast.
- Compared to 31 August, average spot freight rates on 18 September are up 30% in US West Coast and 16.2% into US East Coast.
- The current spread in average spot rates between the two US coasts is widening again, now standing at USD 942 per FEU.
- It is a different story from Far East to North Europe and Mediterranean where average spot rates continue to decline, down 22.5% and 14% respectively from 31 August.
- From a week ago, the average rate is down 7.6% into North Europe and 4.4% into the Mediterranean.
- Average spot rates on the Transatlantic trade from North Europe to US East Coast have not fallen further and stagnated in the past week at 1806 USD.
- The latest average spot rate data is provided in the attached documents ‘Xeneta - weekly market update 18.09.25’ and ‘Xeneta - weekly market update chart 18.09.25’.
Xeneta analyst insight – Far East to US
Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst:
“The sharp spot rate spike on the Transpacific at the start of September was a surprise to many and we see another uptick mid-month. Shippers will be wondering what on earth is driving this increase when the expectation was for further softening in freight rates.
“If shippers are prepared to call the carriers’ bluff, we will see the mid-month increases fall away pretty quickly with softening spot rates for the remainder of the month.”
Xeneta analyst insight – Far East to Europe
Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst:
“The decline in average spot rates has been much harder into North Europe compared to Mediterranean, but that could change in the coming weeks.
“Rolling weekly average capacity on the trade into Mediterranean is set to increase to 208 000 TEU by the end of the month while remaining fairly steady into North Europe. This could see the pace of spot rate decline quicken into Mediterranean and a narrowing spread with rates into North Europe.”
Ends
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