Freight Rate Weekly: Three Carriers, One Date: Lock US Rates in 26 Days
Freight Rate Weekly: Three Carriers, One Date: Lock US Rates in 26 Days
Executive Summary
Hapag-Lloyd's new GRI charges USD 1,500 to the US West Coast and USD 1,000 to the US East Coast — lock your US rates before Nov 1.
| 1.89% |
| 4.82% |
| 0.03% |
| 5.75% |
| 3.58% |
| 1% |
| 2% |
| 25% |
Overview
Here's the thing: the transpacific rally is not dead, it is just slowing down. Put simply, half of this week's numbers went up and half went down. NYSHEX put Asia to US West Coast at 7,557.37, up 1.89% on the week, against 4.82% the week before. Asia to US East Coast barely twitched, up 0.03% to 9,695.31 after a 5.75% jump. Asia to North Europe went the other way, down 3.58% to 3,468.58. Drewry's composite index fell 1% to USD 4,434 per 40-foot box, with Shanghai to Los Angeles flat at USD 7,835 and Shanghai to Rotterdam down 2% to USD 3,399. Same week. Same table. Two different markets.
The slope got cut in half.
Watch the slope.
Not the headline number.
Key Details
Bottom line, that Hapag-Lloyd filing makes no sense until you stop thinking about distance. Watch out for the shape of it: from the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan and the Middle East to North America, effective Nov 1, 2026 for containers gated in full, the US East Coast and Gulf Coast go up USD 1,000 per container while the US West Coast goes up USD 1,500 per container. The West Coast pays USD 500 per container more. Everyone knows the East Coast quote is normally the expensive one — it has the extra Panama leg. So this filing is not about miles. Frankly, it is about where that carrier needs the boxes.
Three carriers. One date.
Ask about space.
Looking Ahead
Today is Oct 6, 2026, so you have 26 days. First, circle Nov 1, 2026. Three carriers move together: Hapag-Lloyd into North America; CMA CGM restoring rates from East Mediterranean ports into the US East Coast at USD 750 per 20-foot and USD 1,500 per 40-foot out of Türkiye, USD 500 and USD 1,000 from the rest of the scope; and Maersk putting USD 500 per container on every dry and reefer box from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay into North Europe and the Mediterranean, priced from Nov 1, 2026.
Second, do not rush to lock your Europe cargo. Asia to North Europe has fallen for 12 straight weeks on Drewry's numbers. NYSHEX had it at 4,603.04 in early August against 3,468.58 now. That is roughly 25% in three months, straight from those two readings.
Third, book your US cargo before the notices bite. A slowing rally is not a falling rate. Nothing in this week's table says cheap — it says slower, and you should read it that way.
26 days is enough to renegotiate.
Market Outlook
We are not calling either one. What we will say is this: do not price a Europe booking and a US booking off the same number this month.JETWAY Supply Chain is your execution partner on the ground in China — based in Tianjin, licensed as an NVOCC (MOT) and a member of CIFA, FIATA and WCA. We handle special cargo and compliance (dangerous goods, chemicals, batteries) across ocean, air, rail and road, and we pre-check your documents before the box is stuffed so your filing clears the first time. Send us your next booking and we will run the checks above against your sailing date. Request a quote.