Eastbound spot rates on the trans-Pacific opened the New Year with a hefty jump as shipping lines put peak season surcharges into effect until the Chinese New Year.
The Drewry container rate benchmark for shipping a 40-foot equivalent container unit from Hong Kong to Los Angeles rose 10.1 percent to $2,119 in the week ended Jan. 3, compared to $1,925 per FEU the week before.
“Nearly all the carriers have implemented peak season surcharges of about $200 per 40-foot container. Their aim is to set the climate to stop the erosion of rates before they start their annual contract negotiations,” said Philip Damas, division director of Drewry Supply Chain Advisors in London.