WCI holds steady at $2,287 as carriers push for bunker surcharges
Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) remained flat this week at $2,287 per 40-foot container, with rates holding steady on both Asia-Europe and Transpacific trades, according to Drewry’s assessment of April 2, 2026. On Asia-Europe, Shanghai to Genoa edged up 2% to $3,529.…
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Container Rates Stall as Capacity Glut Offsets Hormuz Shock
Container spot freight rates on the main east-west trades largely flatlined this week as excess capacity and uneven demand failed to further spur recent pricing increases by carriers.
Rising jet fuel costs challenging freighter viability as war enters second month
Global jet fuel prices have almost doubled since the Middle East war began on Feb. 28, piling additional expenses onto an operating component that before the conflict was already more than 30% of total costs.
SeaLead warns of network disruptions in Persian Gulf war zone
The announcement comes as the Singapore-based regional carrier outlined a strategic restructuring of its overall operations, including scaling down trade coverage across its key intra-Asia trade territories.
CH Robinson leads, buys loyalty at inflection point
In a nutshell: When the nation’s biggest freight broker drops fees on its fuel program for 450,000 carriers, it’s not charity. It’s a competitive positioning play at the exact moment carriers hold the leverage, and every rival broker should be paying attention. The press release,
Spot rates shrug off Iran shock as carriers chase volume over profits
Container spot freight rates on the main east-west trades largely flatlined this week as excess capacity and uneven demand failed to further spur recent pricing increases by carriers. This week’s World Container Index (WCI) from Drewry showed spot rates on the transpacific and…
Forwarders warn war risk surcharges could set dangerous precedent
Unregulated carrier surcharging practices prompted by the US/Israel war against Iran could have precedent-setting effects, prompting forwarders to question the validity of any contractual agreements they hold. Over the past week The Loadstar has documented increasing forwarder…
Growing Houthi risk could amplify inefficiencies across tanker trade flows
Escalating Houthi attacks against Israeli targets signal potential maritime sabotage ahead, threatening to reshape global tanker trade flows and introduce significant inefficiencies into an already strained supply chain. We analyse how redirecting crude exports via the Cape of…
Xeneta Weekly Ocean Container Shipping Market: Rates Up 30% Over the Past Month
Xeneta analyst insight Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst: “Five weeks into the Strait of Hormuz closure and spot rates on every major East-West trade lane have risen sharply, showing this is a conflict with global repercussions for ocean supply chains. “From Far East to North…