Chinese New Year demand sees container rates rise

The American Shipper website reports that container rates are rising as shippers move cargo early ahead of the Lunar New Year, with Red Sea diversions adding longer lead times.

This is of great interest to the U-Freight Group with our large portfolio of global container shipping services for LCL and FCL cargoes, and for the clients we serve.

Freightos data showed average Asia-Europe prices up one percent last week to USD2,742 per feu, 12 percent higher than mid-December. Average Asia-Mediterranean rates climbed 4 percent to USD4,000 per feu, the highest since July 2025.

Markey analysts advised that early pre-holiday demand is keeping prices elevated. Chinese factories will shut for several weeks from February 17, pushing shippers to secure space in advance.

Although some carriers have been testing a return of sailings on the Red Sea-Suez Canal route, safety and cost concerns remain amid Houthi threats and regional instability.

On Asia-US lanes, average west coast rates rose nine percent to USD2,145 per feu since mid-December, while average east coast prices climbed 15 percent to USD3,364 per feu. The general feeling is that demand to keep rates firm into the holiday period.

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