Last updated: 28 September 2026. Rate dates and quotation validity are noted below. This page is refreshed monthly with the latest China→USA freight benchmarks and booking conditions.
September 2026
September 2026 update. Spot rates climbed through mid-September, while usable space remained tight. A confirmed rate or space release did not always mean that equipment was available or the container would load on the planned vessel. Xeneta’s 17 September averages reached $7,960/FEU to the US West Coast and $11,259/FEU to the US East Coast. For October cargo, verify the sailing, gate-in deadline and rate expiry date before release.
September freight rates at a glance
Far East–US spot benchmarks
| Trade lane | Spot rate | Assessment date |
|---|---|---|
| Far East → US West Coast | $7,960/FEU | 17 September 2026 |
| Far East → US East Coast | $11,259/FEU | 17 September 2026 |
Xeneta assessed these lanes on 17 September 2026. FEU means forty-foot equivalent unit.
These are regional market averages, not Shanghai-specific or door-to-door prices. The final quote will change with the port pair, equipment, carrier, sailing and included charges.
Selected China–USA quotation examples
| Route | Quoted freight | Equipment | Carrier | Quoted transit time | Stated validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalian → Los Angeles | $7,000 | 40HQ | ONE | 23–25 days | 29 September |
| Yantian → Houston | $9,000 | 40HQ | Confirm at booking | Around 35 days | Reconfirm |
| Ningbo → Houston | $9,500 | 40HQ | Confirm at booking | Around 35 days | Reconfirm |
40HQ means a 40-foot high-cube container. The examples above keep their original quotation terms. Space, charge coverage and transit-time scope must be checked again at booking.
Houston is a US Gulf Coast destination, so it should not be compared directly with an East Coast benchmark. The two Houston figures cover ocean freight only. A DDP price also needs the cargo details, customs information, pickup point and final delivery address.
A quote below the regional benchmark does not prove that the market has fallen. First check that the route, service and charge coverage match.
Send Ever Ocean your cargo-ready date and destination to request a China–USA freight quote and compare available sailings on the same basis.
What changed for shippers in September
Late-September rate direction
The two US coasts moved differently in late September. Drewry’s 24 September assessment put Shanghai to Los Angeles at $7,838 per 40ft, up 2% for the week, while Shanghai to New York held at $10,373 per 40ft. The global WCI fell 1%, but that decline came from other trades rather than the Trans-Pacific lanes.
Drewry counted 15 blank sailings for the following week, up from nine in the current week. With fewer departures, space can stay tight even when demand slows or the global index falls.
Port congestion eased unevenly
Conditions improved at Ningbo and Yantian but not at Shanghai. Between Kuehne+Nagel’s 2–8 September report and 16–22 September report, the seven-day average vessel wait fell from about 3.58 to 2.51 days at Ningbo and from 2.45 to 1.56 days at Yantian. Shanghai stayed at about 4.72 days.
The averages hide some difficult terminals. The later report put waits at 6–8 days across parts of Yangshan and Waigaoqiao, while MSICT in Ningbo was still near four days. Yantian continued to face heavy yard congestion and gate-in restrictions before Golden Week. A better port-wide average did not guarantee a usable gate-in window, an available container or an on-time departure.
Ever Ocean’s September bookings showed the gap between port averages and individual shipments. Some bookings had a quoted rate or space release but no usable container or place on the planned vessel. Treat the equipment release, empty-container pickup and gate-in window as separate checks.
Reprice any August quote against the intended sailing. Separate the base ocean rate from new surcharges and service changes, then check the schedule again. A cheaper replacement is no saving if it misses the required arrival date or disrupts customs and delivery.
Cargo rollovers: what to confirm before loading
A rollover happens when a container misses its booked vessel and moves on a later sailing. Several Ever Ocean China–USA shipments faced this problem in September.
The delay can affect warehouse appointments, delivery plans and inventory. It can also create storage or equipment charges, depending on where the container is held, the free time and the booking terms.
Ask for the assigned vessel and voyage, not only a note saying “space available.” Before loading, agree on what happens if that vessel does not take the container:
- Which alternative sailing can carry the cargo?
- Will the original freight rate remain valid?
- Could a change trigger storage, equipment or other charges?
- Who will notify the supplier and receiving team?
Read the transit time together with the departure date. The advertised sailing time may stay the same, but a rolled container still reaches the destination later.
October outlook: holiday timing, pricing and available space
Golden Week shortens the booking window
Several October offers required the container to enter the port before 7 October to keep the quoted rate. That deadline comes before the vessel departure.
Chinese container terminals generally continue operating during Golden Week, but factories, warehouses, trucking providers and some customs-related services may run shorter schedules. Carriers may also bring forward gate-in and documentation cutoffs for the last pre-holiday sailings.
Work back from the confirmed cutoff through trucking, loading and production. If the container must enter the port early, confirm who pays any extra storage or equipment cost and whether the rate survives a factory or carrier schedule change.
Carrier GRIs are not final booked rates
Carriers may push rates higher before the holiday, but a filed increase is only a target. The quote should state when the new rate applies, whether booking, gate-in or departure triggers it, and which surcharges are included.
If timing is flexible, compare a bookable near-term sailing with a later departure. Do not delay cargo simply because October rates might fall. The delivery deadline and storage cost belong in the same comparison.
Extra capacity may not help every origin port
More Far East–US East Coast capacity may ease rates after the holiday. But a network-wide increase does not guarantee a bookable sailing from the required origin port on the required date.
Check Panama-related charges on East Coast services
The Panama Canal reduced available daily transit slots to 32 from 15 September. However, the Panama Canal Authority postponed the planned reduction in the Neopanamax draft limit from 48 feet to 47.5 feet, which had been scheduled for 1 October. The current 48-foot limit will remain in effect until further notice.
The draft change is no longer an immediate October constraint, but reduced transit capacity can still affect booking availability and waiting times. For New York, Savannah and Gulf Coast destinations such as Houston, confirm the routing, transit reservation and any Panama-related surcharge. A vessel or routing change may alter both the price and transit estimate.
How to plan your October booking
Start with the delivery deadline, then compare rates. Published transit time usually covers only part of the trip from factory pickup to warehouse receipt.
| Shipment situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Delivery date is fixed | Provide the cargo-ready date and latest acceptable delivery date. Price a backup sailing, origin port or service; for the time-critical portion, also compare air freight from China. |
| Shipment can wait | Set the latest acceptable sailing date before comparing near-term and post-holiday departures. Include supplier storage, stock-out and customs timing in the decision. |
| Shipment is already booked | Track the assigned vessel and voyage, cutoffs and expected departure. If anything changes, obtain written confirmation of the replacement sailing and rate, then update the supplier and destination team. |
Get a quote for your shipment
To price a China–USA shipment, send:
- The origin location, destination port and final delivery address.
- Cargo description, package count, weight, dimensions and required container type.
- Cargo-ready date and latest acceptable delivery date.
- The requested shipping terms, including port-to-port or door-to-door service.
- For a DDP assessment, the HS code, cargo value and importer information, including the applicable customs bond arrangement.
The Houston examples above cannot be converted into a complete DDP price without the cargo, pickup, delivery and customs details.
September FAQ
Did US East Coast spot rates exceed $10,000 per FEU in September?
Yes. Xeneta’s 17 September Far East→US East Coast assessment was $11,259/FEU.
Why can my quote differ from the market benchmark?
The final price depends on the origin, destination, carrier, sailing, equipment and included charges. Regional benchmarks are useful context, not shipment-specific offers.
Does a confirmed price guarantee the container will load as planned?
No. Confirm the assigned vessel and voyage, gate-in and documentation cutoffs, and the fallback sailing if the cargo is rolled.
Should I wait until after Golden Week to book?
That depends on the cargo-ready date and delivery deadline. Compare the next available sailing with a later option, then include storage and stock-out risk in the decision.
Quick summary
- More than 2.4m TEU of capacity was disrupted, with waits reaching up to 12 days at Shanghai Yangshan.
- Drewry’s Shanghai→New York benchmark peaked at about $9,507/40ft on 20 August, then slipped 2% by month-end.
- The 28 August SCFI reached about $9,880/FEU for the US East Coast and $7,012/FEU for the West Coast.
- September depends on backlog clearance, achieved GRI levels and Panama Canal restrictions.
Key rate snapshot
| Benchmark / lane | August read | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Drewry Shanghai → Los Angeles (6 Aug) | ~$5,894/40ft | Up 3% — 1 Aug GRI stuck |
| Drewry Shanghai → New York (6 Aug) | ~$7,893/40ft | Up 4% |
| Drewry Shanghai → New York (20 Aug) | ~$9,507/40ft | Up 9% — August peak |
| Drewry Shanghai → Los Angeles (20 Aug) | ~$6,802/40ft | Up 9% — August peak |
| SCFI Shanghai → US West Coast (21 Aug) | ~$6,714/FEU | Up ~1.3% vs 31 Jul |
| SCFI Shanghai → US East Coast (21 Aug) | ~$9,568/FEU | Highest since July 2024 |
| SCFI composite (28 Aug) | 3,509.54 points | Up 99.91 pts — fifth straight weekly gain |
| SCFI Shanghai → US West Coast (28 Aug) | ~$7,012/FEU | Up ~4.4% |
| SCFI Shanghai → US East Coast (28 Aug) | ~$9,880/FEU | Up ~3.3% — year’s high |
| Drewry Shanghai → Los Angeles (27 Aug) | ~$6,818/40ft | Flat |
| Drewry Shanghai → New York (27 Aug) | ~$9,333/40ft | Down 2% |
| Drewry WCI composite (27 Aug) | ~$4,473/40ft | Down 1% |
The headline: congestion replaced demand as the main driver
Repeated typhoons disrupted Shanghai and Ningbo throughout August. Typhoon Dolphin suspended terminal operations on 7–8 August, stranding more than 2.4 million TEU of capacity; by 19 August, waits had reached up to 12 days at Shanghai Yangshan and 3–5 days at Ningbo.
Before the backlog cleared, Typhoon Saudel closed both ports again on 27–28 August. Global port congestion rose above 4.3 million TEU, with North Asia accounting for roughly half. The resulting capacity loss helped carriers implement the 1 August GRIs and pushed East Coast benchmarks to their highest levels since mid-2024.
Ocean freight: China → USA spot rates (August 2026)
| Lane | August benchmark range | Market read |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai → Los Angeles (Drewry, 6–27 Aug) | ~$5,894–$6,818 per 40ft | Rose on GRIs + congestion; flat at month-end |
| Shanghai → New York (Drewry, 6–27 Aug) | ~$7,893–$9,507 per 40ft | Sharply higher; peaked 20 August |
- Benchmarks diverged again at month-end: Drewry’s 27 August Shanghai→NY read fell 2%, while the Freightos FBX showed Asia→US East Coast up 3% at about $9,576/40ft and the 28 August SCFI rose about 3.3% to $9,880/FEU. Present each index with its own date and methodology rather than blending them.
- Despite talk of “five-figure” rates in parts of the market, no major benchmark crossed $10,000/FEU in August — the closest was SCFI’s $9,880/FEU East Coast read on 28 August. Some all-in China-market quotes including surcharges ran higher — a different scope from the indices.
- Capacity tightened independently of demand: Asia→US East Coast capacity fell about 9% month over month in August, while Asia→US West Coast was roughly flat (−0.4%).
Air freight: China → USA (August 2026)
Air remained softer than ocean. The global Baltic Air Freight Index rose 1.3% week over week in the week to 3 August, but Shanghai Pudong outbound fell 3.3%, showing that China-origin capacity was still relatively balanced. Typhoon-related ocean delays shifted some urgent cargo to air, but not enough to produce a broad rebound.
What drove the market in August
| Driver | Signal | Importer meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoon closures | Bavi, Noul, Dolphin (9 Aug), Narra (23 Aug) and Saudel (27–28 Aug) hit China’s coast | Congestion replaced demand as the key rate support |
| GRI follow-through | 1 Aug GRIs implemented; further GRIs filed for 15 Aug and 1 Sep | Carrier pricing discipline held while space was tight |
| Capacity withdrawal | Asia→USEC capacity −9% MoM; rolling blank sailings | Effective space tightened even as frontloading cooled |
| Panama Canal | ACP announced on 20 August that daily transits fall from 36 to 34 on 3 September and to 32 on 15 September as El Niño drought depletes Gatún and Alhajuela; auction slots restructured into four categories with priority for the largest Neopanamax vessels; carrier surcharges filed | East Coast / Gulf cost floor moved up again, now with fewer slots as well as tighter draft |
Operational impact on shipments
August’s disruption went beyond higher spot rates:
- Some cargo was rolled across two to four sailings, stretching gate-in to departure to as long as two to four weeks.
- Port omissions and interrupted barge connections caused delays across both Shanghai and Ningbo.
- Premium services generally maintained better schedule reliability than standard services.
Until waiting times normalise, treat East China ETDs and transit times as provisional.
August GRIs: implemented vs. filed
The 1 August GRIs were largely implemented as congestion tightened space. Later filings for 15 August and 1 September met more resistance: Drewry’s Shanghai→New York assessment slipped 2% on 27 August. Compare achieved booked rates—not carrier filings—and separate base freight from GRI, PSS and Panama Canal surcharges.
Outlook: September is two-sided
Base case: rates stay elevated while Saudel’s backlog clears through early September; congestion supports spot levels even as underlying demand cools.
Upside risk: the 1 September GRIs and Panama surcharges stick; backlog clearance takes longer than expected; peak-season bookings hold.
Downside risk: backlogs clear faster than expected and capacity returns — with the big swing factor a meaningful return to Red Sea transits, which would release effective capacity and could pull rates down quickly.
| September signal | What to watch |
|---|---|
| Post-Saudel backlog | Waiting times at Shanghai/Ningbo through mid-September |
| 1 Sep GRI + Panama surcharges | Achieved booked rates, not carrier filings |
| Panama Canal transit cuts | 34 daily transits from 3 Sep and 32 from 15 Sep; auction premiums, waiting times and any further ACP adjustments |
| US customs access risk (18 Sep) | From 18 September, CBP can void importer-of-record numbers where Form 5106 data is inaccurate or incomplete. While a number is void, entry cannot be filed and cargo sits accruing storage. Confirm your filer’s IOR details before September sailings arrive — see what happens when a US customs shipment is held or examined. |
| Blank sailings | 14 were scheduled for 24 Aug–13 Sep; watch execution |
| Red Sea resumption | Any large-scale carrier return would change the capacity math quickly |
| Peak demand durability | Whether bookings hold after a heavily frontloaded summer |
What importers should do now
| Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Build schedule buffer, not just price buffer | Rolled cargo and port omissions were August’s real cost; plan 4–6 weeks ahead from East China ports. |
| Treat ETDs as provisional | Reconfirm vessel schedules and port calls until Shanghai/Ningbo waiting times normalise. |
| Compare premium vs. standard services | Fast services kept better schedule integrity in August; the premium can be cheaper than a missed sales window. |
| Compare full landed cost | September adds Panama surcharges on some East Coast/Gulf services; separate base rate, GRI, PSS and surcharges. |
| Avoid locking long commitments at peak levels | A large-scale Red Sea return would flip the rate outlook quickly. |
August FAQ
Did China–USA rates break $10,000 per container?
No major benchmark did. The closest was SCFI’s Shanghai→US East Coast reading of about $9,880/FEU on 28 August; higher market quotes generally included additional surcharges.
How badly were Shanghai and Ningbo disrupted?
Repeated closures pushed waits to as long as 12 days at Yangshan and caused rolled cargo, port omissions and multi-week departure delays.
Why did rates rise as frontloading faded?
Effective supply fell faster than demand because of closures, congestion, blank sailings and lower East Coast capacity.
Will rates keep rising in September?
Not necessarily. Backlogs and surcharges provide short-term support, but rates could ease as congestion clears and capacity returns.
Key sources
- Drewry World Container Index — August 2026 assessments
- Shanghai Shipping Exchange — SCFI weekly releases
- Panama Canal Authority — El Niño response and transit measures
- Kuehne+Nagel — Typhoon Dolphin disruption
- WorldCargo News — Shanghai and Ningbo congestion update
- Baltic Air Freight Indices — TAC Index
- DPI Signals — Transpacific GRI filings
New to this lane? Start with our complete guide to shipping from China to USA, then use the July rate movements below to time your bookings.
Quick summary
- Late-July frontloading eased, and Drewry recorded a second week of softer Trans-Pacific rates.
- The 31 July SCFI moved the other way: West Coast rose 12.5% and East Coast 12.6% in one week.
- Carriers filed August GRIs of roughly $2,000–$3,000 per 40ft, but announced increases are not the same as achieved market rates.
- August direction depended on booking demand, blank sailings, effective capacity and whether the SCFI rebound held.
Key rate snapshot
| Benchmark / lane | Late-July read | Weekly direction |
| Drewry Shanghai → Los Angeles (30 Jul) | ~$5,739/40ft | Down 2% |
| Drewry Shanghai → New York (30 Jul) | ~$7,578/40ft | Flat |
| Drewry WCI composite (30 Jul) | ~$4,255/40ft | Down 3% |
| SCFI Shanghai → US West Coast (31 Jul) | ~$6,629/FEU | Up 12.5% |
| SCFI Shanghai → US East Coast (31 Jul) | ~$9,054/FEU | Up 12.6% |
The headline: late-July rates diverged
July did not produce a simple peak-and-drop story. Earlier frontloading began to fade after importers pulled holiday and back-to-school cargo forward, and Drewry’s Shanghai→US benchmarks softened in the final two weeks of the month. By 30 July, Shanghai→LA was down to about $5,739/40ft, while Shanghai→NY held near $7,578/40ft.
One day later, SCFI pointed in the opposite direction. Its composite index rose 4.7% to 3,205.97, ending a three-week slide, with US West Coast and East Coast rates jumping 12.5% and 12.6%. The indices cover different port baskets, samples and assessment windows, so the divergence is a market signal rather than a contradiction: rates remained high, but the next direction was not yet settled.
Ocean freight: China → USA spot rates (July 2026)
| Lane | Late-July benchmark range | Market read |
| Shanghai → Los Angeles / US West Coast | ~$5,739–$6,629 per 40ft / FEU | Drewry softer; SCFI rebounded |
| Shanghai → New York / US East Coast | ~$7,578–$9,054 per 40ft / FEU | High and benchmark-dependent |
- These are benchmark readings, not live all-in quotes. Final cost still depends on origin, destination, carrier, allocation, cargo and surcharges.
- East Coast remained materially more expensive than West Coast because all-water capacity and routing constraints kept the cost floor higher.
- Drewry and SCFI should not be blended into a single percentage change; use each benchmark with its own date and methodology.
Air freight: China → USA (July 2026)
Air moved the opposite way to ocean in July: sea rates stayed high and volatile while air kept easing week over week.
| Benchmark | July 2026 read (to 27 Jul) | Direction |
| Baltic Air Freight Index — global (BAI00, TAC Index) | −0.6% WoW; +16.8% YoY | Fifth straight weekly fall |
- Air rates stayed well above the prior year but kept softening week over week, mainly because summer passenger bellyhold capacity returned and carriers were better prepared for shocks than during the March disruption.
- For the China→USA lane, track the Baltic/TAC BAI84 (Shanghai Pudong → USA) and BAI82 (→ North America) indices.
What drove the market in July
| Driver | Signal | Importer meaning |
| Frontloading cooled | Some holiday and tariff-sensitive cargo had already moved | Less demand pressure than June |
| Capacity discipline | Blank sailings and controlled allocations remained active | Falling demand did not translate directly into cheap space |
| August GRIs | Carriers filed $2,000–$3,000 increases per 40ft | Treat filed levels as targets, not guaranteed market increases |
| Routing constraints | Panama draft limits and wider network disruption reduced flexibility | East Coast and Gulf routings carried more operational risk |
August GRIs: announced increases vs. achieved rates
| Carrier | Filed increase per 40ft | Effective date |
| Evergreen | $3,000 | 1 Aug 2026 |
| HMM | $3,000 | 1 Aug 2026 |
| CMA CGM | $2,000 | 1 Aug 2026 |
| COSCO | $2,000 | 1 Aug 2026 |
| Yang Ming | $2,000 | 1 Aug 2026 |
| ZIM | $2,000 | 1 Aug 2026 |
The filed GRIs set a higher target, but they did not guarantee a full $2,000–$3,000 increase in transacted rates. Actual implementation depended on booking demand, blank sailings, contract protection, available allocation and whether competing carriers held the line.
Capacity, routing and Panama Canal watch
Carriers entered August with stronger capacity discipline. Blank sailings helped reduce available space even as frontloading slowed, making effective capacity—not nominal fleet size—the key variable.
Panama Canal draft restrictions added pressure to Asia→US East Coast and Gulf routings by limiting effective vessel payload. Some carriers also introduced or increased Panama-related surcharges.
Port watch: Charleston consolidates container operations
South Carolina Ports paused container operations at the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal from 1 August 2026, consolidating activity at the Wando Welch and North Charleston terminals.
This was a Charleston-specific operational change, not a shutdown of the port or a primary driver of the full Trans-Pacific market. Importers using Charleston needed to reconfirm terminal assignments, vessel schedules, drayage appointments and inland rail connections.
Outlook: August stays volatile
Base case: high but uneven rates, with GRIs only partly implemented as carriers balanced weaker frontloading against blank sailings.
Upside risk: strong bookings, tighter Panama payload limits and aggressive capacity control allowed more of the GRIs to stick.
Downside risk: frontloading faded faster than expected, additional capacity returned and the late-July SCFI rebound proved temporary.
| August signal | What to watch |
| GRI implementation | Actual booked rates, not carrier filings alone |
| Blank sailings | Whether carriers could keep effective capacity tight |
| SCFI follow-through | Whether the 31 July rebound continued |
| Panama constraints | Draft limits, payload reductions and new surcharges |
| Charleston transition | Terminal, drayage and inland handoff changes |
What importers should do now
| Action | Why it matters |
| Plan 3–5 weeks ahead | Peak-season cutoffs, blank sailings and allocation controls can change usable space quickly. |
| Compare the same quote scope | Separate base ocean rate from GRI, PSS, Panama surcharges, destination charges and inland delivery. |
| Use achieved rates, not filed GRIs | A $3,000 filing does not automatically mean the final quote rises by $3,000. |
| Recheck Charleston bookings | Confirm terminal, drayage appointment and inland routing after the Leatherman pause. |
| Recalculate SKU margin | Divide any per-container increase by sellable units rather than applying an unsupported market-wide percentage. |
July FAQ
What happened to China–USA ocean rates in July 2026?
Rates softened in late July as frontloading slowed, but the market remained high and volatile. Drewry moved lower while the 31 July SCFI showed a sharp rebound on both US coasts.
Why do Drewry and SCFI show different numbers?
They use different route baskets, contributors, methodologies and assessment windows. Each number should be presented with its own date, lane and unit rather than blended into one average.
Will the August GRIs add $2,000–$3,000 to every container?
Not necessarily. Those are filed carrier increases. The amount that sticks depends on demand, capacity control, contracts and competing offers.
Will East Coast rates exceed $10,000/FEU?
It was possible as a high-pressure scenario if GRIs largely stuck and capacity tightened, but it was not yet a confirmed base-case market rate.
Does the Leatherman Terminal pause mean Charleston is closed?
No. Container operations were consolidated at Wando Welch and North Charleston. Cargo owners needed to confirm terminal and inland arrangements, but the wider port remained open.
Sources & references
- Drewry World Container Index — 30 July 2026 assessment
- Shanghai Shipping Exchange — SCFI, 31 July 2026 release
- Baltic Air Freight Indices
- South Carolina Ports — short-term consolidation notice
Rates are historical spot-market benchmarks and vary by port pair, service level, cargo type and season.
June rate snapshot
| Lane / index | Late-June read | Market direction |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai → Los Angeles | ~$5,750/FEU | Rising sharply |
| Shanghai → New York | ~$7,149/FEU | Rising sharply |
| Drewry WCI composite | ~$4,166/FEU | Rising |
| Early-July WCI | ~$4,530/FEU | Still elevated |
What mattered in June
| Driver | Why it mattered |
|---|---|
| Frontloading | Importers pulled shipments forward before July fuel adjustments, GRIs, PSS and possible tariff changes. |
| Capacity control | Blank sailings and rationed space made confirmed allocation as important as headline price. |
| Routing pressure | Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz disruption kept routings stretched and the cost floor elevated. |
| July surcharge setup | Carriers continued announcing July GRIs and peak-season surcharges, supporting elevated early-July rates. |
What were China–USA ocean freight rates in June 2026?
By late June, Shanghai→Los Angeles spot rates reached about $5,750/FEU and Shanghai→New York about $7,149/FEU. On a broader China→US East Coast basis, Freightos put rates near $7,880/FEU by late June.
Why did rates rise so quickly?
The rise was mainly a timing-and-capacity story: importers frontloaded cargo before July surcharges and tariff uncertainty while carriers controlled available space.
What was the market signal for July?
July opened at elevated levels, but the outlook depended on whether frontloading faded and additional capacity returned later in the summer.
May rate snapshot
| Lane / index | Late-May read | Market direction |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai → Los Angeles | ~$3,473/FEU | Rising |
| Shanghai → New York | ~$4,597/FEU | Rising |
| Drewry WCI composite | ~$2,800/FEU | Rising |
| China → US air freight | $6.5–$7.0/kg; sub-100kg often $8–$9/kg | Firm |
What mattered in May
| Driver | Why it mattered |
|---|---|
| Capacity tightening | May Day blank sailings removed roughly 25% of Trans-Pacific Eastbound slots. |
| Early frontloading | Importers moved earlier after the US–China tariff truce and ahead of peak season. |
| Routing and fuel pressure | Red Sea / Hormuz disruption and elevated fuel kept the cost floor high. |
| June GRI setup | Carriers announced large June increases of roughly $1,000–$3,000/FEU. |
What were China–USA ocean freight rates in May 2026?
Spot rates ran roughly $2,000–$3,500/FEU to the US West Coast and $3,300–$4,600/FEU to the US East Coast, with late-May Drewry benchmarks near $3,473 and $4,597.
Why did rates rise in May?
Mainly carrier-driven capacity tightening, early peak-season frontloading, Red Sea / Hormuz routing pressure and elevated fuel.
What was the market signal for June?
May looked like the warm-up. June GRIs and Peak Season Surcharges were already being announced, setting up a steeper climb.
