May 2025 World Container Index
For many years, the World Container Index has been the go-to, independent, global reference for index-linked contracts. If your organisation is considering index-linked contracts, requires regional visibility/coverage beyond the eight trade lanes provided below, or would like to learn more, don’t hesitate to contact our team of ocean freight cost benchmarking and procurement specialists.
This week, Drewry’s World Container Index decreased 1% to $2,076 per 40ft container.
Source: Drewry World Container Index, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors
Our detailed assessment for Thursday, May 08, 2025
- The Drewry WCI composite index decreased 1% to $2,076 per 40ft container, 80% below the previous pandemic peak of $10,377 in September 2021. However, the index was 46% higher than the average $1,420 in 2019 (pre-pandemic).
- The average YTD composite index closed at $2,773 per 40ft container, $122 lower than the 10-year average of $2,895 (inflated by the exceptional 2020-22 Covid period).
- Freight rates from Shanghai to Rotterdam decreased 7% or $156 to $2,046 per 40ft container, and those from Shanghai to Genoa decreased 4% or $123 to $2,766 per 40ft container. Following the trend, rates from New York to Rotterdam and Rotterdam to New York declined 3% to $814 and $1,972 per 40ft container, respectively. Also, rates from Rotterdam to Shanghai decreased 2% or $7 to $457 per 40ft container while those from Shanghai to Los Angeles increased 5% or $123 to $2,713 per 40ft container and those from Shanghai to New York rose 4% or $146 to $3,646 per 40ft container. Similarly, rates from Los Angeles to Shanghai increased 2% or $17 to $706 per 40ft container. Drewry expects rates to be less volatile in the coming week as carriers are reorganising their capacity to reflect a lower volume of cargo bookings from China.
Spot freight rates by major route
Our assessment across eight major East-West trades:
Source: Drewry Supply Chain Advisors
