Weekly Market Report · Week 39
Container Market
Weekly Digest
Mixed signals across the container market. Ocean freight rates continue their upward trajectory, while container prices have yet to follow suit. The real bottleneck right now is the immediate availability of empty containers at Asian export hubs.
PRICES FLAT
BOX SHORTAGE
SCFI INDEX
3,687.83
+0.7% WoW
SHANGHAI – NEW YORK
+7%
US Route Surge
ROTTERDAM
-9%
European Weakness
1,700 TEU CHARTER
$35K
from $33K / day
Freight Rates
The SCFI index closed at 3,687.83, edging up 0.7% week on week. US routes continued to surge, with Shanghai–New York jumping 7% and Shanghai–Los Angeles gaining 5%. Conversely, European routes showed weakness: Rotterdam dropped 9%, and Genoa fell 5%. Southeast Asia bucked the trend with a 13% surge.
| Route | Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai – New York | +7% | Surge |
| Shanghai – Los Angeles | +5% | Gain |
| Southeast Asia | +13% | Surge |
| Genoa | -5% | Fall |
| Rotterdam | -9% | Fall |
Feeder charter rates also climbed, with 1,700 TEU period charter rates rising from $33,000/day to $35,000/day. This indicates that capacity tightness has now reached the vessel segment, though it hasn’t yet fully spilled over into empty container equipment — container prices and monthly rentals remained largely flat this week.
Container Prices
Prices for Cargo-Worthy (CW) containers were broadly stable, but regional spreads widened significantly. The key takeaway this week is regional mismatch.
EXPORT PORTS
Softer Pricing
High export volumes and container accumulation are keeping prices subdued at major export gateways.
INLAND / IMPORT
Steeper Pricing
Equipment shortages and elevated drayage costs are driving prices higher in inland and import-heavy cities.
JAPAN & SOUTH KOREA
Price Premium
Export demand combined with sluggish depot turnover is sustaining a premium in these markets.
2×
KEY INSIGHT · US WEST COAST
Port-to-inland price spreads for landed containers exceeded 2x in some cases — the most striking divergence in the market this week.
Leasing Market
While headline leasing rates didn’t spike, actual costs are quietly climbing.
01
Round-trip Drayage
02
Peak Season Dynamics
03
Typhoon Congestion
04
Pre-National Day Surge
Rent vs. Buy Strategy
A practical decision framework based on your expected usage duration.
UNDER 6 MONTHS
Rent
Short-term flexibility. Avoid ownership overheads.
6 – 18 MONTHS
Buy Used CW
Buying used CW containers is more cost-effective.
18 – 24 MONTHS
Break-even
The crossover point between renting and buying.
OVER 2 YEARS
Buy
Ownership delivers the strongest long-term value.
6 mo
18 mo
24 mo
2 yr+
Market data is provided for reference only. Actual rates, availability, and pricing are subject to carrier confirmation, route conditions, and individual container inspection. Confirm all figures with your supplier before making procurement or chartering decisions.