In brief: Container freight rates from Asia to Europe have fallen for a 13th consecutive week, according to Drewry’s World Container Index, as carriers shift capacity back to the Suez Canal route after months of diversions around the Cape of Good Hope.
Drewry’s composite index stood at $4,351 per 40ft container for the week to 8 October, down 2% week on week. On the Asia-Europe lane, Shanghai-Rotterdam rates fell 2% to $3,337/40ft, while Shanghai-Genoa held flat at $3,696/40ft. Shorter transit times via Suez are adding effective vessel capacity on the same tonnage, pushing rates down even as carriers plan general rate increases for the second half of October. Across major east-west trades, carriers have announced blank sailings on 34 of 713 scheduled voyages (about 5%) between 12 October and 15 November, with half of those cancellations concentrated on Asia-Europe and Mediterranean services.
For European importers, the combination of falling spot rates and concentrated blank sailings on Asia-Europe routes cuts both ways: shippers booking now may lock in lower freight costs, but the high share of cancellations on this specific lane raises the risk of rolled cargo and schedule disruption heading into the pre-holiday peak. Forwarders should watch whether carriers’ planned rate hikes later this month actually hold given the extra capacity returning via Suez.
Source: Shippio Trade News, 13 October 2026.