Drewry: Intra Asia Container Index Up 6% Last Week

Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) rose 6% last week, reaching an all-time high of $1,491 per 40ft container. The IACI Composite Index has climbed to this peak for the fifth consecutive week, indicating that geopolitical issues and typhoon-related disruptions are still impacting supply chains and limiting available capacity.

Two straight months of increases propelled the IACI to this new record. Spot rates from China to Southeast and South Asia soared, with some lanes setting new highs. Shanghai to Laem Chabang saw a 22% jump to $1,609 per container, while Jakarta routes climbed 12% to $2,300. A fire at the NPCT1 Terminal in Jakarta, Jakarta on September 21st, 2026, initially disrupted operations as 51 ISO tanks and one container with dangerous goods ignited.

Middle Eastern instability continued to push rates upward, with Shanghai-Jebel Ali rates climbing 2% to $8,712 per container for the third week in a row. Alternative routes, like those using the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, also saw rate hikes, indicating market volatility. Storm-related delays and ongoing congestion worsened operational efficiency at Chinese ports, with average vessel waits in Shanghai and Ningbo expanding by 8 hours from the previous week to 83 and 38 hours, respectively.

Drewry anticipates freight rates to level off in the coming weeks. New services are also in the works, with X-Press Feeders, Pacific International Lines (PIL) and Namsung Shipping launching a four-week North and South China-Singapore-Malaysia route, 'NCX', beginning late October. The service will use four vessels carrying 2,500-3,600 TEU, expanding X-Press Feeders' and Namsung's coverage in Malaysia by adding Penang to their networks. For Namsung, it will provide a new weekly connection between Tianjin and the Straits.

Ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, along with higher bunker costs, are further driving freight rate increases. Brent crude oil has remained above $100 per barrel since early September due to uncertain market conditions. Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) provides actual spot container freight rates for major trade routes within Asia.

The Index, updated weekly (starting January 2nd, 2026), includes 18 individual route indices and a composite index, all reported in USD per 40ft container. Market rates are gathered for routes like Busan-Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City-Shanghai, Jakarta-Shanghai, Shanghai-Busan, Shanghai-Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai-Jakarta, Shanghai-Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Shanghai-Jebel Ali, Shanghai-Kaohsiung, Shanghai-Laem Chabang, Shanghai-Manila, Shanghai-Singapore, Shanghai-Tanjung Pelepas, and Yokohama-Shanghai.