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 GRI puts the US West Coast at USD 1,500, the East at USD 1,000 — 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 over, it's just running out of gas — and you can see it in the slope. Half the table went up, half went down. NYSHEX put Asia–US West Coast at 7,557.37, up 1.89% on the week, down from 4.82% the week before. Asia–US East Coast barely moved, up 0.03% to 9,695.31 after a 5.75% jump. Asia–North Europe went the other way, down 3.58% to 3,468.58. Drewry's composite fell 1% to USD 4,434 per 40-foot box; Shanghai–Los Angeles flat at 7,835, Shanghai–Rotterdam down 2% to 3,399. Same week, same table, two different markets.
The slope got cut in half.
Watch the slope.
Not the headline.
Key Details
Bottom line: that Hapag-Lloyd filing makes no sense until you stop thinking in miles. From the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan and the Middle East to North America, effective Nov 1, 2026, the US East and Gulf Coast go up USD 1,000 per box, the West Coast up USD 1,500. The West pays USD 500 more per box. Everyone expects the East to be the expensive lane — it carries the extra Panama leg. So this is not about distance. Frankly, it's about where that carrier wants the boxes, and you feel it at quote time. West Coast is seeing retail restocking and transload demand grab space; when a lane gets tight, the carrier prices the pain, not the mileage.
Three carriers.
Ask about space — not just price.
Looking Ahead
Today is Oct 6, 2026, so you have 26 days. First, circle Nov 1. 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 scope; Maersk at USD 500 per box on every dry and reefer from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay into North Europe and the Med, priced from Nov 1.
Second, don't rush Europe. Asia–North Europe has fallen twelve weeks straight on Drewry's numbers — 4,603.04 in early August to 3,468.58 now, roughly 25% in three months.
Third, book US cargo before the notices bite — you don't want to explain a USD 500 jump after the fact. 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.