Drewry: World Container Index up 8% last week

LONDON : For many years, World Container Index has been the go-to, independent, global reference for index-linked contracts. If your organisation is considering index-linked contracts or requires regional visibility/coverage beyond the eight trade lanes provided below, contact our ocean freight cost benchmarking team.

Drewry’s World Container Index increased 8% to $2,233 per 40ft container this week.

Drewry detailed assessment for Thursday, 15 May 2025

• The Drewry WCI composite index increased 8% to $2,233 per 40ft container, 78% below the previous pandemic peak of $10,377 in September 2021. However, the index was 57% higher than the average $1,420 in 2019 (pre-pandemic).
• The average YTD composite index closed at $2,746 per 40ft container, $151 lower than the 10-year average of $2,896 (inflated by the exceptional 2020-22 Covid period).
• Freight rates from Shanghai to New York surged 19% or $704 to $4,350 per 40ft container and those from Shanghai to Los Angeles shot up 16% or $423 to $3,136 per 40ft container whereas rates from New York to Rotterdam increased a marginal 1% or $10 to $824 per 40ft container. On the other hand, rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam, Shanghai to Genoa and Rotterdam to New York decreased 1% to $2,035, $2,742 and $1,961 per 40ft container, respectively, while those from Rotterdam to Shanghai and Los Angeles to Shanghai remained stable. Following the latest US–China trade developments, Drewry expects an increase in Transpacific spot rates in the coming week due to shortage in capacity.
  

Source: Drewry