{
  "id": 9576232,
  "title": "But no pandemic high: Asia-US container rate at $9,600",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/but-no-pandemic-high-asia-us-container-rate-at-9-600",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-24T14:48:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "FreightWaves",
    "slug": "freightwaves",
    "url": "https://www.freightwaves.com/news/but-no-pandemic-high-asia-us-container-rate-at-9600"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Asia-US container rates reached $9,600 per forty foot equivalent unit (FEU) last week, maintaining a near peak-season high, according to Freightos data. This is despite port congestion in the Far East and canceled sailings, which are keeping trans-Pacific spot rates at elevated levels. Asia-West Coast prices rose 4% to over $8,100/FEU, while East Coast rates remained roughly flat at about $9,600/FEU. The divergence in Asia-Europe pricing is attributed to a surge in demand for trans-Pacific shipments ahead of China’s Golden Week holiday, with carriers managing capacity through blanked sailings. While current rates show some comparison to pandemic-era levels, they remain well below the extreme rates observed in September 2021, when Covid-19 import surges and severe port congestion pushed prices above $20,000/FEU. The current market situation is more comparable to the 2024 peak season, when Red Sea diversions limited effective vessel capacity.",
  "summary": "Trans-Pacific container rates remain near peak-season highs amid resilient U.S.-bound demand and congestion in Asia. The post But no pandemic high: Asia-US container rate at $9,600 appeared first on FreightWaves .",
  "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."
}