The cost of moving a 40-foot container across the ocean just jumped to $4,530, a 9% increase in a single week and the highest reading on Drewry’s World Container Index since 2022.
The numbers tell a clear story
The July 2 reading from Drewry Shipping Consultants showed price increases across virtually every major route. Shanghai to New York surged 11% to $7,902 per container. Shanghai to Los Angeles climbed 10% to $6,349.
European routes weren’t spared either. Shanghai to Genoa rose 10% to $6,360, while Shanghai to Rotterdam increased 7% to $4,682.
The drivers include higher fuel prices, port congestion, peak season demand, and carriers actively managing capacity through blank sailings—essentially canceling scheduled voyages to keep supply tight. Drewry reported eight blank sailings planned on Transpacific routes and one on Asia-Europe routes for the following week.
