Drewry's World Container Index (WCI) recorded its first decline in ten weeks as of 16 July 2026, falling roughly 2% to US$4,547 per 40ft container. Shanghai to Los Angeles rates were down around 3%, while Shanghai to New York held broadly flat over the same period.

Asia–Europe lanes softened as well, with Rotterdam and Genoa rates easing as port congestion in Europe reportedly improved — one of the more encouraging signals in an otherwise volatile rate environment.

Despite the pullback, rates remain historically elevated. Blank sailings, ongoing Middle East tensions affecting routing decisions, and uncertainty around US tariff policy continue to provide underlying support that's kept the index well above pre-2024 norms even as it eases from recent peaks.

For businesses budgeting freight costs, the takeaway from a single week's decline shouldn't be that rates are normalising — it's one data point in a series that has been unusually volatile for an extended period. Comparing against the broader trend over several months gives a much better sense of direction than any single weekly print.

We'll continue to keep an eye on the WCI and similar benchmarks, since they're a useful independent reference point when reviewing whether a quoted rate on a specific lane looks reasonable against the wider market.

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