Drewry: Intra Asia Container Index Down 3% Last Week

Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) fell by 3% to $1,453 per 40-foot container last week, reflecting a decline in freight rates. This decrease was mainly observed on routes such as Shanghai to Busan, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. The easing of port congestion played a significant role in the drop, as congestion improved at these key ports.

Spot rates from Greater China to Southeast, Northeast, and South Asia experienced a downward trend due to weak demand and low port congestion. Notably, rates from Shanghai to Jawaharlal Nehru Port dropped by 11% to $3,370 per 40-foot container, while rates to Busan declined by 8% to $1,000. Similarly, rates from Shanghai to Singapore decreased by 7% to $1,973 per 40-foot container.

Average vessel waiting times at Busan, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, and Singapore shortened throughout Week 41, falling from 26 to 23 hours, 42 to 24 hours, and 50 to 34 hours, respectively. Despite the Middle East situation remaining tense, Shanghai-Jebel Ali rates remained elevated at $8,416 per 40-foot container.

Drewry anticipates rates to remain relatively stable in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, spot rates on trade routes across Southeast and Northeast Asia remained stable, with the exception of routes originating from Busan and Yokohama. Rates from Busan to Shanghai rose by 4% to $159 per 40-foot container, while rates from Yokohama to Shanghai increased by 4% to $120.

OOCL is scheduled to launch its China-Cambodia-Thailand (CCT4) service on October 23, 2026. This service will connect Nansha and Shekou in South China with Sihanoukville in Cambodia and Songkhla in Thailand, thereby expanding OOCL's regional network and providing additional capacity and direct connectivity between the three markets.

The intra-Asia container freight market has remained robust this year, with the index surging 198% year-over-year. However, high bunker costs and ongoing US-Iran tensions have continued to push up rates, as Brent crude prices remain above $100 per barrel since early September. Despite these factors, rates softened due to the easing of congestion during the Golden Week, which allowed ports to clear backlogs and improve schedule reliability.