Asia-US container rates rise, tanker rates ex-USG soften as Asia port congestion intensifies
Rates for shipping containers from east Asia and China to the US were mostly higher this week while rates for liquid chemical tankers ex-US Gulf were mostly softer, all while schedule reliability is decreasing because of congestion at Asia ports. PORT CONGESTION Global container vessel schedule reliability dropped to 56.4% in July 2026, a decline ...
This week saw a rise in Asia-US container and tanker rates as Asia port congestion intensifies, according to new data. Global container vessel schedule reliability fell to 56.4% in July 2026, a 6.1 percentage point decline compared to the previous month. This sharp decrease is attributed to congestion at major Asian ports, with all 14 busiest ports experiencing delays.
Expected to worsen, three named hurricanes currently roam the Pacific Ocean. While container rates on the transpacific remain at their highest since mid-2022, tankers carrying liquid chemicals from the US Gulf to Asia have seen softer rates. Container rates to the West Coast now range between $6,000/FEU and $7,800/FEU, while rates to the East Coast are between $8,200/FEU and $11,250/FEU.
Freight Right Logistics' CEO, Robert Khachatryan, attributes this to strong demand for imports due to strong consumer and commercial demand, particularly from retailers and e-commerce sellers. US chemical tanker freight rates are steady to lower this week, with a slight dip in transatlantic rates as usual summer slowness emerges and peak season ends.
However, rates along the USG-Asia trade lane, particularly for September, remain pressured but steady contract of affreightment volumes support any further decline.
Written by urgent.news from Hellenic Shipping News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
