{
  "id": 4502278,
  "title": "Asia-US container rates edge higher, remain elevated on congestion at east Asian ports",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/asia-us-container-rates-edge-higher-remain-elevated-on-congestion-at",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-30T21:00:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hellenic Shipping News",
    "slug": "hellenic-shipping-news",
    "url": "https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/asia-us-container-rates-edge-higher-remain-elevated-on-congestion-at-east-asian-ports/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Asia and US container rates have increased slightly this week, yet they still remain at their highest levels since mid-2022. This rise is attributed to congestion at ports globally, particularly in east Asia. Shipping market intelligence firm Linerlytica reported that over 4.3 million TEU (20-foot equivalent units) are awaiting to berth at container ports worldwide, mainly due to delays in the region. Linerlytica noted that the current stranded capacity of 12.6% of the global fleet is higher than the previous peak of 4.0 million TEU during the COVID pandemic in 2022.\n\nCongestion at the Panama Canal is also causing delays, as transit slots are set to decrease in September. However, delays for containerships with pre-booked transit slots remain minimal. This congestion has created a shortage of vessels, thus supporting freight rates. The SCFI (Shanghai Containerized Freight Index) has risen by 156% since the start of the Iran war. West Coast rates range from $6,300/FEU (40-foot equivalent unit) to $7,500/FEU, while East Coast rates range from $8,200/FEU to $10,500/FEU.\n\nOnline shipping marketplace Freightos saw a 1% increase in rates to the West Coast and a 2% increase to the East Coast. Drewry, another supply chain advisor, reported flat rates week on week from Shanghai to Los Angeles and a 2% decrease from Shanghai to New York. There have been four blank sailings announced for the next week, down from seven this week, indicating increased capacity. Demand remains resilient, and carriers continue to manage capacity, leading Drewry to expect freight rates to remain less volatile next week.",
  "summary": "Rates for shipping containers from east Asia and China to the US edged higher this week and remain at the highest since mid-2022 on congestion at global ports. Shipping market intelligence firm Linerlytica said more than 4.3 million TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) is waiting to berth at container ports globally, driven mainly by delays across ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}